THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY

FOUNDED BY JAMES LOEB

EDITED BY
G. P. GOOLD
PREVIOUS EDITORS
T E. PAGE
W H. D. ROUSE
E. CAPPS
L. A. POST
E. H. WARMINGTON
PINDAR "
I
LCL 56
PINDAR
OLYMPIAN ODES
PYTHIAN ODES
EDITED AND TRANSLATED BY
WILLIAM H. RACE
HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
LONDON, ENGLAND
1997
Copyright 1997 by the President and Fellows
of Harvard College
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Pindar.
[Works. English & Greek]
Pindar / edited and translated by William H. Race.
p. cm. -(Loeb classical library; 56, 485)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents: [1] Olympian odes, Pythian odes -[2] Nemean odes,
Isthmian odes, fragments.
ISBN 0-674-99564-3 (v. 1)
ISBN 0-674-99534-1 (v. 2)
1. Pindar-Translations into English.
2. Laudatory poetry, Greek-Translations into English.
3. Athletics-Greece-Poetry. 4. Games-Greece-Poetry.
1. Race, William H., 1943- 11. Title. Ill. Series.
PA4275.E5R33 1996 95-42927 808'.01-dc20
Typeset in ZephGreek and ZephText
by Chiron, Inc, North Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
Prnted in Great Britain by St Edmundsbury Press Ltd,
Bury St Edmunds, Sufolk, on acid-free paper
Bound by Hunter & Foulis Ltd, Edinburgh, Scotland.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
OLYMPIAN ODES 43
PYTHIAN ODES 209
APPENDIX: GENEALOGIES 383
CONTENTS OF VOLUME 11
N E MEAN ODE S
I S T HMI AN ODE S
F RAGME NT S
APPENDIX: GENEALOGI ES
I NDE X
MAP S
PREFACE
My aim has been to produce a readable, clear transla
tion that reflects the grammar of the original Greek, while
follOwing the lineation of the Greek text as closely as nor
mal English word order allows. When enjambment of a
word is natural to the English, I have imitated the Greek
by preserving it; when not, I have maintained the Greek
grammatical structure.
Whenever possible I have used the Greek form of
names (e.g. , Kronos) , unless their English form is so com
mon that it might be confusing not to do so (e. g. , Athens,
Syracuse, Thebes, Priam, and Helen). In transliterating I
have used ch for _and y for 1 unless the latter occurs in a
diphthong. I have preserved the Doric form of names,
except when the Ionic forms are very familiar (e. g. ,
Aphrodite, Danae, Delos, Leto, Pegasos, Persephone,
and Semele) and have avoided Aeolic forms (e. g. , Moisa
and Medoisa) .
This edition does not proVide the alternate verse num
bering of Heyne's edition, whose sole purpose is to facili
tate reference to the scholia. It also is very sparing in
its citation of secondary literature for two reasons: such
references quickly become outdated and students of Pin
dar are fortunate to have an excellent historical survey of
Pindaric scholarship by D. C. Young and annotated bibli
ographies by D. E. Gerber and others.
vii
PREFACE
I have greatly profited from the generous help of four
outstanding Pindarists: Christopher Carey, Douglas Ger
ber, Sir Hugh Lloyd-Jones, and Andrew Miller, none of
whom can be held accountable for my inevitable slips. In
addition, Margaretta Fulton, George Goold, Robert Rust,
and Jeffrey Rusten have been of great assistance. On
points of detail I also wish to thank Bruce Braswell,
Adolph Kohnken, Herwig Maehler, lan Rutherford, and
Zeph Stewart. The University Research Council of Van
derbilt assisted with a grant in the summer 1994, and my
wife, Diane, aided me throughout with good advice and
improvements of style.
viii
I NTRODUCTI ON
"Of the nine Greek lyric poets Pindar is by far the
greatest for the magnificence of his inspiration, his pre
cepts, figures oflanguage, lavish abundance of matter and
words, and river (so to speak) of eloquence. " This assess
ment by Quintilian in his survey of Greek poets (Inst. Or
10. 1.61) was the standard evaluation of Pindar in antiq
uity and helps to explain why nearly one fourth of his
odes are well preserved in manuscripts, whereas the
works of the other lyric poets have survived only in bits
and pieces.
The ancient editors divided Pindar's poems into sev
enteen books (papyrus rolls) by genres: 1 book of hymns
to various gods; 1 of paeans (hymns addressed mainly to
Apollo); 2 of dithyrambs (hymns addressed mainly to
Dionysos) ; 2 of prosodia (hymns for approaching a god's
shrine) ; 3 of partheneia (hymns sung by maidens); 2 of
hyporchemata (dancing hymns); 1 of encomia (songs in
praise of men at banquets) ; 1 of threnoi (songs oflament);
and 4 of epinikia (Victory songs) . Although numerous
fragments of his paeans and other poems have survived
on papyrus or through quotation by ancient authors, only
the four books of epinikia, comprising forty-fve odes in
celebration of athletic victors, have been preserved
almost intact in a continuous manuscript tradition, and it
1
I NTRODUCTI ON
is upon them that his reputation has largely rested as
Greece's greatest poet of praise.
The victory odes are, however, notoriously difcult to
understand. They are complex mixtures of praise (and
blame) , mythical narratives, prayers and hymns, advice,
athletic triumphs (and failures), and even current events,
conveyed in a highly artificial language in often very com
plicated poetic meters, all designed to be sung and
danced to the accompaniment of lyres and pipes. They
represent the apex of their genre, in much the same way
that Bach's works are a culmination of baroque music.
Pindar's art, like Bach's, presents a constant tension
between the constraints of form and the freedom of inno
vation; it too exhibits tremendous energy, great variety
within its genres, and reveals ever-new depths upon
repeated hearings.
Our understanding of Pindar's odes has been compli
cated by what Hugh Lloyd-Jones has called a "fatal
conjunction of nineteenth-century historicism with nine
teenth-century Romanticism. "l The former, already
employed by ancient commentators, seeks to explain
details in the odes as reflections of historical (and all too
often pseudo-historical) events. The latter interprets the
poems as expressions of the poet's personal opinions and
subjective feelings. There is no doubt that the odes refer
to historical persons and events (indeed every ode has an
' L1oyd-Jones. "Pindar, " Proceedings ofthe British Academy
68 ( 1982) 145; the entire address proVides an excellent assess
ment of Pindar's qualities. For a good, brief overview of trends in
indarie scholarship, see the same author's "Modem Interpreta
tIon of Pmdar: The Second Pythian and Seventh Nemean Odes,"
Joural ofHellenic Studies 93 ( 1973) 109-117.
2
I NTRODUCTI ON
actual victory as its occasion) and that Pindar presents a
distinctive personality, but these aspects of the poems are
subSidiary to their generic function of praising men
\\ithin the religiOUS and ethical norms of aristocratic ffth
century Greece. In E. L. Bundy's formulation, they con
sttute "an oral, public, epideictic literature dedicated to
the Single purpose of eulogizing men and communities. "2
Pindar's poetry expresses the conserative, so-called
"archaic," mores of the sixth and early fifth century. His
thought is ethically cautionary and contains frequent
reminders of man's limitations, his dependence on the
gods and nature, and the brevity of life's joys. He
espouses moderation ,-jov, xo:j;), the aristocratic
, "Doric") values of civic order ,evvopo) and peaceful
concord ,ov|o), and reverence for the gods (E-U'E
{ELu) . 3 His gaze is primarily backwards toward the mod
els of the past, as they are exemplified in the legends from
Hellenic myth, and it is against these that the victors'
achievements are measured. To help guide the reader, I
provide some key terms that point to recurring themes in
the epinikia.4
r
p
En; the realization of human excellence in achieve
ments
ov one's inbor nature (also ov,,o:o;/ov,,cv;)
Bundy, Studia Pindarca (Berkeley 1962; repr. 1986) 35.
3 See E. Thummer, Die Religiositdt Pindars (Innsbruck
1957).
Often these positive elements are set in contrast to the envy
<IOIO,) of ill-wishers and the darkness (ao',) and silence
(nyu) that attend failure.
3
I NTRODUCTI ON
A number of anecdotes preserved i n ancient sources,
although of little or no historical value, serve to illustrate
aspects of Pindar's career and poetic art. Two reported in
the Vita Ambrosiana point to his poetic precociousness.
One, attributed to the early Hellenistic biographer
Chamaileon, tells that when Pindar was a boy hunting
near Helikon, he fell asleep and a bee built a honeycomb
on his mouth. While the honey points to the sweetness of
his song (cf. OZ. 11. 4 and Pyth. 3.64), the site of Helikon
links Pindar with his Boiotian predecessor Hesiod (c. 750
B.C.), who received his poetic commission while shep
herding sheep at the foot of that mountain. The other
relates that when his Athenian instructor Apollodoros had
to be out of town and tured over the training of a chorus
to the young Pindar, he did so well that he became imme
diately famous. Plutarch informs us that the Boiotian
poet Korinna criticized the young Pindar for priding him
self on stylistic embellishments rather than on mythical
topics. He then composed the hymn that begins, "Shall it
be Ismenos, or Melia of the golden spindle, or Kadmos
. . . that we shall hymn?" (fr 29) . When he showed it to
her, she laughed and said, "One should sow with the
hand, not the whole sack."7 The story illustrates Pindar's
generous use of mythical catalogs, especially to introduce
poems (cf. Nem. 10 and Isth. 7), and the frequent refer
ences to myths and legends throughout his works.
Three anecdotes in the Vita Ambrosiana point to Pin
dar's close relationship with the gods. We are told that
` Plut. de glor. Ath. 4.347F-348A. Korinna may, however,
actually belong to the 3rd cent. b.l. see M. West, "Dating
Corinna," Classical Quarterly 84 ( 1990) 553 57.
6
I NTRODUCTI ON
Pan was once heard singing one of Pindar's paeans
between the two Boiotian mountains of Kithairon and
Helikon, and that in a dream Demeter blamed him for
neglecting her in his hymns, whereupon he composed a
poem in her honor. It is also reported that the priest at
Apollo's temple in Delphi announced upon closing each
day, "Let the poet Pindar join the god at supper." The 2nd
century A.T. traveler Pausanias claims to have seen the
iron chair at Delphi upon which Pindar sat to sing his
poems to Apollo ( 10.24.5). All these anecdotes reflect the
deeply religiOUS nature of his poetry and his special devo
tion to Apollo, who fgures so prominently in his works.
Finally, there is the famous story of Pindar's house
being spared when Alexander the Great razed Thebes in
335 B.C.,8 familiar to English readers from Milton's lines
in Sonnet 8: "The great Emathian conquerer bid spare |
The house of Pindarus, when temple and tow'r | Went to
the ground. " Although some have rightly questioned the
historical validity of the story,9 it serves to illustrate the
Panhellenic reputation Pindar enjoyed in the century fol
lOwing his death.
The most important historical event during Pindar's
career was the Persian invasion under Xerxes that culmi
nated in two decisive battles, one at sea near Salamis in
480 and the other on land at Plataia in 479. There are
`The story is mentioned in numerous places besides the lives
and the Suda: Plutarch, Alexander 11; Arrian, History ofAlexan
der 1. 9. 10; Pliny, Naturl History 7.29; and Dio Chrysostom
2.33. Some sources mention a previous sparing by the Lakedai
monians.
See W. J. Slater, "Pindar's House," Greek, Roman, and
Byzantine Studies 12 ( 1971) 146-52.
7
I NTRODUCTI ON
three references in the epinikia to these Greek victories.
In Pyth. 1 Pindar mentions the Athenian and Spartan
pride in the battles of Salamis and Plataia, in 1sth. 5 he
praises the Aiginetan sailors for the part they played at
Salamis, and in 1sth. 8 he expresses his relief at being free
from the Persian threat, which he calls the "rock of Tanta
los, that unbearable labor for Hellas. " His own city of
Thebes had unfortunately sided with the invaders and
actually fought against the Athenians at the battle of
Plataia. We have no way of knowing Pindar's private reac
tion to his city's policy, but he publicly lauded the victors,
even going so far as to call Athens the "bulwark of Hellas"
(fr 76) for her part in the war efort. ` The story in the
Vita Thomana that tells of his being fined by his own city
for praising Athens refects what must have been a sensi
tive issue for him, but the evidence of his poetry shows
that he remained a Panhellenic poet, consistent with his
wish at the end of al. 1 to be "foremost in wisdom among
Hellenes everywhere. "
While the mainland Greeks were confronting the Per
sians, the Greeks in Sicily were facing a Carthaginian
threat. In 480 Gelon of Syracuse (whose younger brother
Hieron succeeded him two years later as tyrant of Syra
cuse) joined forces with Theron of Akragas to defeat a
Carthaginian army numbering 100,000 at the battle of
Himera, spoils from which greatly enriched both cities.
At Pyth. 1. 75-80 Pindar ranks this battle on the same
level as Salamis and Plataia.
1U
In fr 77 he also praised the Athenians for their naval action
at Artemision earlier in 480, where they "laid the bright founda
tion of freedom."
8
I NTRODUCTION
The 76th Olympiad i n 476, the first following these
three great battles, marks a high point in Pindar's career
as an epinikian poet. Five of the fourteen Olympian
odes are to victors in that Olympiad, including two of his
major poems, al. 1 to Hieron of Syracuse (whose horse
Pherenikos won the single-horse race) and al. 2 to
Theron of Akragas (who won the chariot race) . In 476/5
Hieron founded the city of Aitna and in 474 his ships
defeated an Etruscan fleet at Kyme near the Bay of
Naples. The poets who enjoyed his patronage included
Aeschylus, who wrote the Aitnaiai (Women ofAitna) to
celebrate the founding of that city, Simonides, Bac
chylides, who wrote three epinikia (3, 4, 5) and an
encomium (ir 20C) for him, and, of course, Pindar, who
honored him with al. 1, Pyth. 1, 2, 3, a hyporchema (fr
105), and an encomium (ir. 124d). In Pyth. 1 Pindar
compares Hieron to Philoktetes and praises him for his
victory at Kyme, in which he "delivered Hellas from
grievous slavery. " In Pyth. 2 he mentions the gratitude of
the Western Lokrians for Hieron's deliverance of them
from war; the scholia claim that Hieron intervened to
stop Anaxilas of Rhegion (d. 476) from attacking Lokroi
(probably in 477), but the date and circumstances of the
poem remain uncertain. In addition, Pindar wrote odes
for Theron's brother Xenokrates and nephew Thrasybou
los (Pyth. 6 and 1sth. 2), for Hieron's general, Chromios
(Nem. 1 and 9), and for his fellow Syracusan, Hagesias
(01. 6).
The geographical dispersion of the victors celebrated
by Pindar indicates how broadly his reputation and asso
ciations had spread. Of the 45 odes, only five are to The
bans. Seventeen are for victors from cities in Sicily and
9
I NTRODUCTION
souther Italy (Syracuse, Akragas, Kamarina, Himera,
and Wester Lokroi) , eleven for victors from the island of
Aigina (the most by far for a single city), seven for victors
from cities on mainland Greece ( Corinth, Opous,
Orchomenos, Pelinna, Athens, Acharai, and Argos),
three for victors from Kyrene on the coast of north Africa,
and one each for victors from the islands of Rhodes and
Tenedos. Victors mentioned in the epinikian fragments
are from Rhodes, Aigina, and Megara; paeans are com
posed for the people of Thebes, Abdera, Keos, Delphi,
Naxos, Aigina, and Argos; dithyrambs for Argos, Thebes,
and Athens; and encomia for individuals from Akragas,
Macedonia, Corinth, Tenedos, and Syracuse.
Other than anecdotal comments in the scholia, we
have no details about how contracts were arranged, l1
whether Pindar was present at the athletic contests
(although at al. 10.100 he says that he saw the victor win
at Olympia), or whether he oversaw any of the perfor
mances (at al. 6.88, however, he addresses one Aineas,
identified by the scholia as the chorus trainer). Even
when there is a statement in an ode such as 1 have
come, " it is not always cerain that this is meant literally.
11
The scholia provide two fanciful attempts to explain the
opening of an ode in terms of contractual arrangements. Inscr. a
to Pyth. 1 reports: "According to the historian Artemon, Pindar
begins with 'golden lyre' because Hieron had promised him a
golden kithara." Schol. la on Nem. 5 recounts: "They say that
Pytheas' relatives approached Pindar to write an epinikion for
him, but when he asked for three thousand drachmas, they said
that for the same price it was better to have a statue made; later
they changed their minds and paid the sum; to chide them he
began with 'I am not a sculptor. ' "
10
I NTRODUCTI ON
For example, Nem. 3 opens as i f the poet were present at
the celebration, but at line 77 he says, 1 am sending"
,~~a)the song. At Pyth. 2. 4-5 the poet says, 1come
bearing the song" ,joi j:\o; cjoo:),while at line
68 he says, "the song is being sent" ,\o; ~j:~c-o:).
The dating of most of the Olympian and many Pythian
odes is relatively sound, thanks to the discovery of the
Oxyrhynchus list of OlympiC victors (P Oxy. 222) and to
the fact that Aristotle had compiled a list of Pythian vic
tors upon which the ancient commentators drew. 12 The
dates of the N emeans and Isthmians are another matter.
Occasionally there is a clear historical reference in the
poem (e. g. , the allusion to the battle of Salamis in [sth. 5),
but the dates given in the manuscripts are often inaccu
rate or contradictory. 1 3
The Epinikian Genre and Greek Athletics
The brief but brilliant flowering of epinikian poetry
spans the careers of three poets. Simonides began the
practice of composing elaborate odes in honor of athletic
victors in the generation before Pindar, while Bacchy
lides, Simonides' nephew, appears to have continued
writing epinikia somewhat later. The three poets moved
in the same circles and praised the same men. Simonides'
12 The list of OlympiC victors (cf. note 6, above) perhaps
derives from one the 5th cent. sophist Hippias compiled (cf.
Plut. Numa 1 . 4). An inscription at Delphi thanks Aristotle for
compiling a list of Pythian victors; cf. M. N. Tod, A Selection of
Greek Historcal Inscriptions (Oxford 1948) 2. 246-248.
13 For an extensive treatment, see C. Gaspar, Essai de
chronologie pindarique (Brussels 1900).
11
I NTRODUCTI ON
most famous patrons were Thessalian nobility, for one of
whose members Pindar composed his first dated ode in
498 (Pyth. 10). Like Pindar, Simonides wrote an ode for
Xenokrates of Akragas (fr 513 Campbell) , while Bac
chylides composed odes for Hieron (3, 4, 5) and Pytheas
of Aigina ( 13). Although a few victory odes from the later
fifth century are mentioned, by 440 the genre seems to
have been moribund.
The apex of dozens of athletic contests throughout the
Greek world were the four major Panhellenic festivals
established at Olympia (776), Delphi (582), the Isthmos
(c. 581), and Nemea (c. 573). They were called crown
games because the victors received crowns of wild olive,
laurel, dry parsley (or pine), and green parsley, respect
ively. 14 The Olympic and Pythian games (the latter held
at Delphi) were celebrated every four years, the Isthmian
and Nemean every two, all staggered so as to produce a
continuous succession of contests. Thus the 76th
Olympiad would have included the follOwing crown
games: 476, Olympic (August); 475, Nemean (July); 474,
Isthmian (April), Pythian (August); 473, Nemean (July);
472, Isthmian (April ) . The 77th Olympiad then began in
August 472.
During Pindar's time the non-equestrian events at
` The prizes awarded at lesser games included silver cups at
Sikyon and Marathon, bronze shields at Argos, woolen coats at
Pellana, and prizes of money, bulls, and olive oil at the Pana
thenaic games. According to the calculations of D. C. Young,
The OlympiC Myth ofGreek A1teur Athletics (Chicago 1984)
115-127, the prizes at the Panathenaia would have been very
valuable in purely monetary terms. In addition, home towns
awarded victorious athletes money, free meals, and other honors.
12
I NTRODUCTI ON
Olympia consisted of the stadion (200 meter race) , diau
los (one-lap 400 meter race) , dolichos (4,800 meter race) ,
hoplites dromos (400 meter race in armor), pentathlon
(consisting of stadion, discus throw, javelin throw, long
jump, and wrestling), wrestling, boxing, pancratium
(combination of wrestling and boxing) , and boys' stadion,
wrestling, and bOxing. The equestrian events were the
mule car race (apene), bareback single-horse race (keles) ,
and four-horse chariot race (tethrppon) . P. Oxy. 222 lists
the follOwing winners for the 76th Olympiad:
[76th. Skalmandros of Mitylene, stadion
[Dalndis of Argos, diaulos
[ . . . lof Sparta, dolichos
[ . . . . . . . 1 of Taras, pentathlon
[ . . . . . . of Malroneia, wrestling
[ Euthymos of Loklroi in Italy, boxing
[Theagenes ofThlasos, pancratium
[ . .
. . . . . . 1 of Sparta, boys' stadion
[ Theognetos of Aigilna, boys' wrestling
[Haglesi[dalmos of Lokroi in Italy, boys' boxing
[Astlylos of Syracuse, hoplites
[ Therlon of Akragas, owner, tethrippon
[Hier lon of Syracuse, owner, keles
The list omits the mule car race, perhaps because it was
included in the OlympiC program for some fifty years only
(c. 500-444) and was of inferior status (cf. Paus. 5. 9 . 1-2) .
Naturally, great men like Hieron and Theron hired jock
eys and drivers to do the actual driving that won them
their victories. Only one victor is praised for driving his
own chariot, Herodotos ofThebes (1sth. 1) . Three drivers
are mentioned by name: Phintis, Hagesias' mule car
13
I NTRODUCTI ON
driver (al. 6) , Nikomachos, Xenokrates' charioteer (Isth.
2), and Karrhotos, Arkesilas' charioteer (Pyth. 5) . The
chariot races consisted of twelve laps around the hippo
drome (cf. 01. 2. 50, 3.33, and Pyth. 5.33) .
Whereas the Olympic games had only divisions of men
and boys in certain events, the Nemean and Isthmian
games had a third, intermediate category for youths.
Trainers played an important role in the formation of
young athletes and four are mentioned in the epinikia:
Melesias (al. 8, Nem. 4 and 6), Menandros (Nem. 5), Ilas
(al. 10), and Orseas (Isth. 4) . The victory of Alkimedon
in the boys' wrestling at Olympia (al. 8) was the thirtieth
won by the trainees of Melesias, who had himself been a
victorious pancratiast at Nemea. Many families and clans
were devoted to athletic competitions, and some domi
nated certain events. Three sons and two grandsons of
the boxer Diagoras of Rhodes, celebrated in al. 7, won
OlympiC crowns. Alkimidas of Aigina won his clan's
twenty-fifth crown victory (Nem. 6), while the clan of
Xenophon of Corinth boasted a total of sixty N emean and
Isthmian victories ( al. 13).
Clear notions of the music, dance, and performance of
the victory odes were already lost by the time of the scho
lia; what little we know about their performance must be
inferred from interal evidence. Pindar speaks of his odes
as hymns ,vvo:), revels ,xoo:), and songs ,doo,
O), he mentions accompaniment by lyres ,c:,-
,c;, \vo.) and pipes ,ov\o|),he occaSionally refers to
the celebrants as men ,:c;), young men ,:o:), or
boys ,~oc;). The relationship between the revel and
the actual performance of the ode is not clear, and there
has been considerable controversy over whether the
14
I NTRODUCTI ON
. epinikia were sung by a chorus or by a soloist. The fact
that Pindar never refers directly to the performance of his
epinikia by a chorus ,o;) has led some scholars to
question whether a chorus performed them at all. The
evidence for choral or solo performance is not conclusive
either way, 15 but given the fact that other Pindaric genres
such as paeans, dithyrambs, partheneia, and hyporche
mata were performed by choruses and that the formal
features of the epinikia are similar to those of tragic cho
ruses, it seems probable that at least some of the epinikia
were performed by a choir that sang in unison and danced
to the accompaniment of lyres or auloi or both combined.
Late sources say that choruses danced the strophe
("tur") in one direction, reversed the steps for the anti
strophe ("countertur"), and stood in place for the epode
("after song"), but even that must remain a conjecture. 1
6
The location of the performance is often indicated by
the deictic article c"this" and is usually at the home
town of the victor (e. g. , "this island" at Nem. 3.68 and
6.46). It is often claimed that shorter epinikia (e. g. , al. 11
and Pyth. 7) were improvisations performed at the site of
the victory and that mono strophic odes (e. g. , Pyth. 6 and
Nem. 2) were processional, but there is no conclusive evi
dence for such assumptions.
'For a review of the evidence and positions, see M. Heath
and M. Lefowitz, "Epinician Performance, " Cl{sical Philolgy
86 ( 1991) 173-191 and C. Carey, "The Victory Ode in Perfor
mance: The Case for the Chorus," Classical Philology 86 ( 1991)
192-200.
1
The evidence is collected and translated in W. Mullen,
Choreia: Pindarand Dance (Princeton 1982) 225-230.
15
INTRODUCTION
Elements of the Epinikia
In generic terms, the epinikia are occasional poems
that invoke shared social values to praise victors and offer
them immortality in verse. For this task there is no set
prescription, and each ode is a unique blend of praise,
myth, and argumentation. Certain elements, however, are
bound to recur, and a fundamental understanding of any
ode must begin with them.
An epigram attributed to Simonides succinctly sets
forth the basic facts of an athletic victory (AP 16.23):
cno:,r:;,-:voscoo|,-::os~or:o;, -|' cv:xy;.
Koojtv\o;, Evo,ov, IIv0conv,'Pa;.
Tell your name, your father's, your city, your victory.
Kasmylos, son of Euagoras, boxing at the Pythia,
Rhodes.
These elements, three identifying the victor (name,
father, city) and two the victory (games, event), are, with
the occasional exception of the patronymic, normally
given in each epinikion; they ultimately derive from the
herald's proclamation at the games and were preserved
on papyrus and in stone inscriptions. 17
Pindar shows great ingenuit in incorporating such
`` An inscription from the frst half of the 4th cent. b.l. from
Ioulis on Keos (1\ XII 5.608) which lists Keans who won victo
ries at the Panhellenic games is quoted and discussed by
H. Maehler, Die Lieder des Bakchylides II (Leiden 1982) 1-.
For a detailed treatment of verse inscriptions for athletes, see
J. Ebert, Griechische Epigramme au! Sieger an gymnischen und
hippischen Agonen (Berlin 1972).
16
INTRODUCTION
facts into his grand-style verse. One way is to vary the
timing and placement of the information. In Pyth. 9, for
example, all the facts of victory (except the father's name,
which comes at 71) are provided in the first sentence,
which reserves the name of the city until the last word,
thus forming a bridge to the narrative. In al. 11 the infor
mation comes in the middle of the ode (lines 11-15) and
concludes with the city, whose people are then praised in
the final lines of the poem. al. 13 reserves the event for
emphatic last place (at line 30) because Xenophon had
achieved an unprecedented double victory in the stadion
and pentathlon.
Another means of varying the presentation of the basic
information is by allusive references. In Pyth. 9 the victor
is called "bronze-shielded" (1), indicating that he won the
race in armor. In al. 12 only the word "feet" (15) alludes
to the fact that the victor was a runner. Pindar uses many
circumlocutions for places, especially game sites. Refer
ences to the Olympic games are made in terms of: Pis a
(the town nearest Olympia), Alpheos (the river at
Olympia) , the hill of Kronos (the adjacent hill), or such
phrases as "Zeus' greatest games. " The Pythian games are
signifed by the mention of Delphi or Pytho (the site),
Krisa or Kirrha (nearby towns), Parnassos (the adjacent
mountain) , Kastalia (the spring), the "navel of the earth, "
or the "games of Apollo. " The "valley of the lion" invokes
Nemea (where Herakles slew the Nemean lion), and "the
bridge at Corinth" denotes the Isthmos. Alteratively,
the mention of the patron god or the type of crown won
may indicate the place of victory.
Pindar often refers to his poems as hymns, and there is
not a single ode without some reference to divinity. Both
17
I NTRODUCTI ON
hymns and prayers underscore the essentially religious
nature of the athletic contests and of the celebrations
associated with them. Pindar draws upon a long tradition
of hymns and masterfully adapts both cultic and rhap
sodic elements to his poems. 1
8
Some begin with elabo
rate hymns to various minor gods: Olympia (01. 8),
Fortune (al. 12), the Graces ( al. 14), Peace (Pyth. 8),
Eleithuia (Nem. 7), Hora (Nem. 8), Theia (18th. 5), and
Thebe (18th. 7). Although the major Olympian gods are
continually mentioned, there is, surprisingly, no opening
hymn to any of them.
Prayers abound in the odes, and their function is
invariably transitional: they conclude a topic, introduce a
new one, or pass from one to another. The poet often
prays for continued blessings for the athlete and his city
or asks for assistance in his task of praising adequately.
Many prayers are expressed negatively, asking that some
thing bad may not happen, especially in the wake of the
present success.
Pindar also draws upon the earlier didactic tradition,
represented by Hesiod, Theognis, Phokylides, and a
collection of the "Sayings of Cheiron. " A hallmark of
epinikian style is its frequent use of maxims, which are
often among Pindar's most memorable verses. 1
9
Exam
ples include "great risk does not take hold of a cowardly
man" (al. 1.81), "wise is he who knows many things by
nature" (al. 2.86), "trial is the test of mortals" (al. 4.18),
"about the minds of humans hang numberless errors"
1b
For the features of cultic and rhapsodic hymns, see W. H.
Race, "How Greek Poems Begin," Yale Classical Studies 29
( 1992) 19-34.
' Cf. H. Bishoff, Gnomen Pindars (Diss. Wurzburg 1938).
18
I NTRODUCTI ON
(al. 7.24-25), "one cannot conceal the character that is
inbor" (al. 13.13), "even wisdom is enthralled to gain"
(Pyth. 3.54), and "the word lives longer than deeds"
(Nem. 4.6).
Pindar's debt to the epic tradition represented by
Homer, Hesiod, and the Homeric Hymns is most appar
ent in his narratives, loosely called "myths," which are
taken from the great store of Hellenic legend. He nor
mally selects an episode from a larger story, which he
elaborates with striking details. Often the narratives con
cern heroes connected with the victor's city, like those
telling of the birth and colonization of Rhodes in al. 7,
the origins of Opous and its heroes in al. 9, and
Corinthian heroes in al. 13. Sometimes the narrative
tells about an ancestor of the victor ( Iamos in al. 6 and
Alexidamos in Pyth. 9). Eight of the eleven odes to Aig
inetans relate episodes from the sagas of Aiakos and his
descendants, heroes closely associated with that island.
Herakles is a frequent subject, especially in his role as
founder of the Olympic festival (al. 3 and 10) and as
exemplar of one who has reached the limits of human suc
cess (Nem. 3); his whole life from infancy to apotheosis is
briefy sketched in Nem. 1. At times a short narrative
makes a specific point: Erginos succeeds in spite of his
appearance ( al. 4); Philoktetes' situation resembles that
of Hieron (Pyth. 1); Antilochos, in dying to save his father,
is a model of filial piety ( Pyth. 6); and Aias receives
posthumous fame after disgrace (I8th. 4). Occasionally
narratives depict examples of behavior to be avoided:
Tantalos ( al. 1), lxion (Pyth. 2), Koronis and Asklepios
(Pyth. 3), Klytaimestra (Pyth. 11), and Bellerophon (18th.
7).
19
I NTRODUCTI ON
Especially memorable scenes or tableaux i n the narra
tives include Pelops praying to Poseidon for assistance in
defeating Oinomaos (al. 1), the birth of Iamos in a
thicket (Ol. 6), the first Olympic competitors (al. 10),
Typhos' eruptions from beneath Mt. Aitna (Pyth. 1),
Apollo's love for Kyrene (Pyth. 9), the festivities of the
Hyperboreans (Pyth. 10), the panic of Alkmene when the
snakes attack Herakles (Nem. 1), the exploits of youthful
Achilles (Nem. 3), Peleus' resistance to the blandishments
of Hippolyta (Nem. 5), the expedition of the Seven against
Thebes (Nem. 9), Polydeukes' decision to share his
immortality with Kastor (Nem. 10), Herakles' visit to
Telamon (Isth. 6), and the quarrel of Zeus and Poseidon
over marrying Thetis (Isth. 8). By far the most complex
and extensive narrative (of almost two hundred verses) is
the depiction of Jason's career in Pyth. 4.
Many myths are demarcated by ring composition, a
technique common in epic. 20 By means of a summary
statement ,xe\oa:)or brief allusion (often in relative
or temporal clauses) the poet sketches the coming narra
tive. He then takes up the topics in greater detail, usually
in reverse chronological order. After retracing his steps
to the initial point, often with echOing vocabulary, he may
add an epilogue. For example, in al. 1.24-27 Pindar
briefly mentions Pelops, Poseidon's love for him, his
being taken from a cauldron, and his ivory shoulder. In
lines 37-87 he gives his own version of Tantalos' feast and
relates at greater length Poseidon's love for Pelops, which
culminates in his helping Pelops win Hippodameia. A
z0
The pioneering work on ring composition in Pindar is by
L. Illig, Zur For der pindarischen Erihlung (Berlin 1932)
55-67, who cites the story of Niobe at I. 24.601-619 as a model.
20
I NTRODUCTI ON
brief epilogue (88-96) tells of Pelops' success and glorifi
cation at Olympia. The beginning of Pyth. 3 offers a more
elaborate example of ring composition. In lines 1-11 the
poet makes the follOwing points: he wishes Cheiron were
still alive; it was Cheiron who raised Asklepios to be a
doctor; Asklepios' mother Koronis died before he was
born. Afer relating the stories of Koronis' love affair and
death (12-2) and Asklepios' career as a doctor (43-58),
he returs to his wish that Cheiron were still alive
(63-67). Other examples include al. 3.13-34 ( Herakles'
bringing the olive tree to Olympia); al. 7.27-80 (history
of Rhodes); al. 13.63-90 (story of Bellerophon); Pyth.
6.28-42 (Antilochos' rescue of his father); Pyth. 9.5-69
(story of Kyrene); Pyth. 10.31-48 (Perseus' visit to the
Hyperboreans); Pyth. 11. 17-37 ( Orestes' revenge on his
father's murderers); Pyth. 12. 6-24 (Athena's invention of
the pipe); and Nem. 10.55-90 (Polydeukes' decision to
share his immortality with his brother Kastor).
Most narratives occur in the middle of their odes
between initial and concluding treatments of the occasion
(ABA structure) . No ode opens immediately with a myth
ical narrative, but in two striking cases (Nem. 1 and 10)
the myths begin in the middle and continue to the very
end, while Pyth. 9 concludes with an additional narrative
about an ancestor of the victor. The transition to the
myth is sometimes elaborately executed, but often it is
effected, with varying degrees of abruptness, by a relative
pronoun or adverb, as in the Homeric Hymns.
Catalogs are common in archaic poetry, whether as
lists of epithets or places in hymns, contingents in the
Iliad, or women in Hesiod's Ehoiai. Lists of victories
(e. g. , al. 7.80-87), heroes (e. g. , Pyth. 4.171-183), places
21
I NTRODUCTI ON
(e. g. , al. 9.67-68), legendary exploits (e.g., Nem.
10.4-18), and virtuous attributes (e. g. , Pyth. 6.45-54)
abound in the odes. Pindar skillfully adapts them to his
complex meters and varies them by means of circumlocu
tions, allusive references, metaphors, negative expres
sions, and digressions.
Another distinctive aspect of Pindar's composition is
the sudden, sometimes startling, curtailment or outright
rejection of a topic. Often labeled Abbruchsforeln or
recusationes, such interjections by the poet give a sense of
spontaneity, as if allOwing us to witness him in the process
of deciding which topic to treat or how to treat it. Often
he provides justifcations for his decision, thus giving such
passages an apologetic tone. Examples ofbreak-offs from
and rejections of narratives include al. 1.28-35 (rejection
of the popular story of Tantalos' feast), al. 9.35-41 (rejec
tion of Herakles' battles against gods as an unsuitable
theme), al. 13.91-92 ( refusal to treat Bellerophon's
death) , Pyth. 4.247-248 (abridgment of the narrative),
Pyth. 10.48-54 (curtailment of Perseus' deeds), Pyth.
11.38-40 (turing from the narrative to praise of the vic
tor), Nem. 3.26-32 (turning from Herakles to more rele
vant heroes), Nem. 4.69-72 (curtailment of stories about
the Aiakidai) , and Nem. 5.14-21 ( refusal to tell why
Peleus and Telamon were exiled). A similar technique is
used to terminate catalogs, as at al. 13.40-48, Nem.
7.50-53, Nem. 10.19-20, and Isth. 1.60-63.
Twentieth century scholars have identifed and stud
ied a poetic device widespread in Greek and Latin poetry
called a priamel. 21 The form consists of two parts: foil
z1
[
Dornseiff, Pindars Stil (Berlin 1921) 97-102 provides
22
I NTRODUCTION
and climax. The purpose of the foil i s to lead up to and
highlight the climactic element by adducing other exam
ples, which yield to that element with varying degrees of
contrast or analogy. The foil may consist of two or more
items, even a full catalog, or it may be summarized by
such words as "many" ,no\;) or "various" ,\\o-'
d\\oio;) . Priamels may occur at the beginning of an ode,
as in al. 1, where water and gold (both supreme in their
realms) yield to the item of real interest, the Olympic
games, supreme among athletic contests, and in al. 11,
where the need for winds or rains is capped by the need
for song to celebrate great achievements; but priamels
occur throughout the extant works whenever the poet
wishes to introduce or emphasize a particular subject.
For example, at al. 9. 67-70 a list of places from which
foreign settlers have come to Opous culminates in its
most distingUished immigrant, Menoitios.
Meter, Form, Dialect, and Style
There are three basic meters in the poetry of Pindar.
By far the most frequent are dactylo-epitritic and Aeolic;
ilie third, derived from an iambic base, is represented
only by al. 2 and fr 75, 105, and 108. The dactylo
epitritic combines the dactyl ( )_ often in the larger
unit of the hemiepes ( - ), with the epitrite (
-- ). It is a stately rhythm (called "Doric" by Pindar), and
aliliough used in all the genres, it is especially frequent
m those celebrating humans: epinikia, encomia, and
the initial treatment of priamels in Pindar. For an overview, see
V H. Race, The Classical Pramel frm Halr ta Baethius ( Lei
den 1982).
23
I NTRODUCTION
threnoi. The dactylo-epitritic epinikia are: al. 3, 6, 7.
8, 11, 12, 13;22 Pyth. 1, 3,4,9, 12; Nem. 1, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11;
Isth. 1, 2, 3/4, 5, and 6. The major dactylo-epitritic frag
ments are: Isth. 9; Hymn. 1; Pae. 5; Dith. 2; Thren. 7;frr
42, 43, 122, 123, 124, 131b, and 133. The Aeolic rhythm
permits greater variety and is composed mainly of iambs
( \ - ) and choriambs ( - - ) . It is especially frequent in
the paeans. The Aeolic epinikia are: al. 1, 4, 5, 9, 10, 13,
14; Pyth. 2,5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11; Nem. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7; Isth. 7, and
8. The major Aeolic fragments are: Pae. 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9;
Parth. 1, 2; and fr. 169a.
The odes are built of stanzas called strophes, antistro
phes, and epodes. The first stanza, varying in length from
three to twenty lines, is called a strophe. Seven epinikia
(al. 14; Pyth. 6, 12; Nem. 2, 4, 9; and Isth. 8) and a few
fragments (Pae. 5,frr 122 and 124ab) repeat the metrical
pattern of the strophe two to twelve times and are called
"monostrophic." The remaining thirty-eight epinikia,
most paeans, Dith. 2, Parth. 1 and 2, fr. 123, 140a, and
169a are "triadic," in that the strophe is followed by a
metrically identical stanza called an antistrophe, which in
turn is followed by a metrically distinct stanza called an
epode, the three forming a unit called a triad. Each suc
cessive triad is metrically identical. Five epinikia consist
of one triad (Ol. 4, 11, 12; Pyth. 7; and Isth. 3); most have
three to five triads, except for the exceptionally long Pyth.
4, which has thirteen.
Pindar's dialect is a highly artifcial idiom which con
tains such a complex mixture of epic, Doric, and Aeolic
OZ. 13 is the only epinikion to have strophes and antistro
phes in Aeolic, epodes in dactylo-epitritic.
24
I NTRODUCTI ON
forms that only a very superficial sketch can be given
here. 2 3 Epic vocabulary and forms familiar from Home
ric verse are evident throughout (although Pindar avoids
forms in -qn). The most obvious feature of the Doric
dialect is a long ofor Ionic (e. g. , de-ofor de-and
Kv:ofor Kv:)and -o: for -a:in genitive plurals
of the frst declension (e. g. , -o: de-o: ~ooovfor -ov
de-a: nooa:). Aeolic forms are most apparent in the
use of o:instead of ovin some nouns (e. g. , Mooo for
Movoo),verbs (e. g. , -jo:o:for -jovo:), and aorist
participles (e. g. , /ooofor /ovoo`
In his discussion of the austere style (whose practition
ers include Aeschylus, Pindar, Antiphon, and Thucy
dides), Dionysios of Halikarnassos makes many observa
tions applicable to Pindar's style (de Compositione 22).
[The austere style] is not loath to use frequent
harsh and dissonant collocations, like stones put
together in building that are not squared or pol
ished, but rough and improvised. It generally likes
expansion with big, long words, 24 for it is averse to
being constrained to few syllables unless com
pelled to do so . . . In its clauses it chooses stately
and grand rhythms; it does not like clauses of equal
length, of similar sound, or slaves to a necessary
order, 2 5 but ones that are noble, brilliant, and free;
For more details see the introductions to the editions of
Gildersleeve and Fennel! and B. Forssman, Untersuchungen zur
Sprache Pindrs (Wiesbaden 1966).
Particularly compound epithets.
Reading OVTE avaYKaiq OOvAEvovra aKoAovfiq aAA'
EVYEVi. Dionysios probably has In mind the smoothly balanced
clauses ofIsocrates' Gorgianic style.
25
INTRODUCTION
it wishes them to resemble nature rather than art
and to reflect emotion rather than character . . .
The austere style is further marked by flexibility of
cases, variety of figures, use of few connectives and
no articles, and frequent disregard for normal
sequence. Far from being polished, it is high
minded, outspoken, blunt-its beauty being the
patina of old-fashionedness.
The best known characterization of Pindar's style is by
Horace in Odes 4. 2.5-12: "Like a river rushing down a
mountain which rains have swollen above its normal
banks, the deep-voiced Pindar seethes and floods far and
wide, sure to win Apollo's laurels when he tumbles new
words through his daring dithyrambs, and is carried along
by rhythms freed from rules. " From these descriptions
we can isolate the following general characteristics of Pin
dar's style: it is abundant, creative of new words and
expressions, bold, passionate, old-fashioned, tinged with
aristocratic bluntness, disdainful of the ordinary, and dis
plays a rough strength typical of nature rather than of
balanced art.
Perhaps the most pervasive aspect of Pindar's style is
no:x:\|o(variety), a term he himself applies to his poetry
(e. g. , 01. 6.87 and Pyth. 9.77) . His verse gives the impres
sion of ever new creativity. In the epinikia, a genre which
requires that similar points be repeated, he is especially
adept at finding alterate wordings, different metaphors,
allusive references, synonyms, circumlocutions, or nega
tive expressions to vary the idiom. For example, on nine
occasions he mentions the relationship between some
one's performance and his appearance; ten times he states
26
INTRODUCTION
that an individual has reached the limits of human suc
cess. Yet by variations of wording, rhythm, and emphasiS,
he avoids exact repetition and produces strikingly new
formulations. 2
6
A major component of Pindar's no:x:\:ois what J. E.
Sandys called "a constant and habitual use of meta
phor. "27 There are hundreds of metaphorical expres
sions, some so slight as to be barely perceptible, others
extremely bold. Pindar is not averse to mixing metaphors
and occasionally piles them up at a confusing rate. For
example, at al. 6.90-91 he calls his chorus trainer "a
.
t

ue
messenger, a message stick of the Muses, a sweet mIxmg
bowl of songs. " In order to express the exaltation of being
celebrated in poetry, he describes the victor as "lifted on
the splendid wings of the melodious Pierians" (lsth.
1.64-65). This expression contains three perceptual cate
gories-height, brightness, and sound-from which Pin
dar constantly draws metaphors to designate the joy and
celebration of victory, while, conversely, images of depth,
darkness, and silence are used to characterize the disap
pointment of defeat. To describe his poetic art, he draws
metaphors from farming, sailing, chariot driving, archery,
flying, wrestling, building, sculpture, weaving, ja

elin
throwing, and business. The song can be a crown, mIrror,
building, storehouse, drink, toast, wave, flame, breeze,
doctor, remedy, or charm.
2
For an analysiS of these two topics, see "Appendix 3" in
VH. Race, Style and Rhetoric in Pindar's Odes (Atlanta 1990)
187-195.
'In the previous Loeb edition of Pindar ( 1915) xviii. For
many examples, see D. Steiner, The Crown of Song: Metaphor in
Pindar (Oxford 1986).
27
I'TRODUCTION
Stated comparisons are frequent in the poems. Gold
shines "like fre blazing in the night" (al. 1. 1-2) , mere
learers are "like a pair of crows" (al. 2. 87), the poet is
"like a cork" (Pyth. 2.80) or a "wolf' (Pyth. 2. 84), and his
song "fits like a bee" (Pyth. 10. 54). Pindar opens three
odes with similes that compare his poetry to a splendid
palace (01. 6. 1-4), to the toast given by a father to his son
in-law (01. 7. 1-10), and to libations at a symposium (lsth.
6. 1-9). At OZ. 10. 86-90 he compares his late-arriving
poem to a son fnally born to an aged man. Often, how
ever, the comparison is left implicit or unstated. 28
For
example, at Nem. 6.26 he acts like ,o-') an archer, but at
al. 2.83 and OZ. 9.5 he simply appears as one; at al. 13.93
he is a javelin thrower, whereas at Pyth. 1.44 the aoc:-'
makes the comparison explicit.
Pindar is much more sparing than authors such as
Aeschylus or Lucretius in the use of alliteration. One
place, however, where he uses it to obvious effect is in the
description of the eruption of Mt. Aitna at Pyth. 1 . 23-24,
which ends with d\\' cv ojvom:v-jo; I o::U
xv\:ocio \o{ c; [o0eio: jc: vv-ov vX xo
ov: vo-, ("but in times of darkness a rolling red
flame carries rocks into the deep expanse of the sea with a
crash"), in which the c's and 7s imitate the sound of the
crashing rocks (and perhaps the Ot echo the hissing of
the fames). At times there appears to be an intentional
correspondence between rhythm and sense, as in OZ. 1,
where there is an unusually long string of seven short syl
lables in the eighth verse of each strophe and antistrophe,
2
8 [
Domseiff, Pindars Stil (Berlin 1921) 97 labels this phe
nomenon "Vergleich ohne wie. "
28
I NTRODUCTION
in three of which the word "swift" ,-ov-) occurs: c-o
-o -ov~o-jto:(66), cjtE ' E7L -ov--o:(77), HX o-
vo; ivo-ov-;(95).
There are a number of puns on names, such as lamos
and LWV (violets) at OZ. 6.55, Aias and o/e-v (eagle) at
Isth. 6.50, Orion and OPELC. V (mountain) at Nem. 2. 11,
Hieron and |ejov (temples) at fr. 105a2, and perhaps
Athens and de0\-oiov( athletes) at Nem. 5.49. In Isth.
2 the recurrence of the word {:o; (24, 39, 48) in an ode
praising Xenokrates for his lavish hospitality seems delib
erate. Pindar sometimes employs riddles or kennings; for
example, a honeycomb is "the perforated labor of bees"
(Pyth. 6.54) and Panathenaic amphoras are "richly
wrought containers of earth baked in fire" (Nem. 10. 36).
Certain images, themes, or related words are particu
larly prevalent in some odes: for example, words related
to eating in OZ. 1 ; an unusual number of pairs in OZ. 6;
gold, plants, and weather in al. 7; time in al. 10; music in
Pyth. 1 ; numerous words pertaining to knowledge and the
mind in Pyth. 3; references to medicine in Pyth. 3 and
Pyth. 4; and courtship and athletics in Pyth. 9. Nautical
imagery occurs throughout the odes.
29
The odes are also rich textures of verbal echoes, and
scholars have carefully listed many occurrences of
repeated words and sounds, especially in metrically
equivalent parts of an ode. But while the frequency of
29 For the imagery of OZ. 7, see D. C. Young, Three Odes of
Pindar ( Leiden 1968) 69-105; for nautical imagery, see J. Peron,
Les images martims de Pindar (Paris 1974); in general, see
C. M. Bowra, "The Scope of Imagery, " in Pindar (Oxford 1964)
239-277 and M. S. Silk, Interaction in Poetic Imagery (Cam
bridge 1974) 179-190.
29
I NTRODUCTI ON
recurrent words i s indisputable-Fennell lists over sixty
words recurring one or more times in al. 1 alone-there
is considerable disagreement about the significance of
individual cases, and attempts to discover meaning in
them often create ingenious but implausible interpreta
tions.
Because of the pliability of Greek as an inflected lan
guage and the requirements of intricate metrical pat
ters, Pindar often places great strains on word order. As
a result, many sentences must be pieced together like
puzzles (e. g. , Isth. 4. 18-18a). 3
0
Hyperbaton, a lengthy
separation of two grammatically connected words, occurs
frequently. Two extreme examples are at Pyth. 4. 106-
108, where do|o:is separated from its noun -::ovby
fifteen words, and at al. 12.5-6a, where the article o:is
separated from its noun c\n|c; by thirteen words.
Often, important words are withheld for climactic effect
until the end of a sentence, or are enjambed at the begin
ning of a line or stanza.
31
Enallage (hypallage) or transferred epithet, by which
an attribute belonging logically to one thing is grammati
cally given to another, is very common. 32 Some examples
are so slight as to be barely noticeable, such as "the tawny
herds of cattle" (Pyth. 4. 149); others are much bolder,
such as "your honor of feet" ( = "the honor of your feet,"
al. 12. 13) and "fearless seed of Herakles" ( "the seed of
`See A.-I. Sulzer, Zur Wortstellung und Satzbildung bei
Pindar (Bern 1970).
'See R. Nierhaus, Strophe und Inhalt im pindarschen
Epinikion (Diss. Leipzig ]936).
See V Bers, Enallage and Greek Style (Leiden 1974) 45-48
and the Index Locorum s.v. Pindar.
30
I NTRODUCTION
fearless Herakles," Nem. 10. 17) . The so-called schema
Pindaricum, in which a singular verb is used with a mas
culine or feminine plural subject, is infrequent in the
epinikia, but particularly noticeable in Dith. 2, where
there are three instances in the frst thirteen verses.
There are also striking examples of zeugma (the use of
one verb with differing meanings for two objects) as at al.
1.88, where Pelops took (i. e. defeated) Oinomaos and
took (i.e. won) Hippodameia as a bride ( cf. also Pyth.
1. 40).
Other figures include hendiadys, two nouns that
express a single thought, (e. g. , Pyth. 1. 37: orcovo:o:
i~~o:; -c, "crowns and horses" * "victorious horses"),
and various kinds of brachylogy or ellipsis, in which con
necting elements have been omitted. A complex example
of brachylogy occurs at al. 12. 13-15: "truly would the
honor of [i. e. won by] your feet, like [that of a fighting
cock . . . have [like a tree or wreath] dropped its leaves
ingloriously. " Finally, Pindar scrupulously avoi ds precise
grammatical symmetry of terms in pairs or series. For
example, instead of a simple "day and night" we find :
o:o:v :ev . . . d\\' cv o:o:o:v (Pyth. 1. 22-23),
:o vvxrc;(Pyth. 4. 256), and coj:c|o:. . . c-o
vvxro; (Nem. 6. 6) .
Pindar's Legacy
Since choral epinikian poetry ceased to be written
soon after Pindar's death, his style and subject matter
exerted more influence on subsequent Greek and Roman
authors than did his genre. In the 4th century Isocrates
adapted many Pindaric poetic strategies and topics to his
31
INTRODUCTION
prose works, particularly those praising individuals (e. g. ,
Evagoras) or advising them (e. g. , To Derrnikos, To
Nikokles, and To Philip) .
33
In the Hellenistic period Cal
limachus (in his Hymns) and Theocritus (in his Idylls)
exhibit Pindaric infuence, especially the latter in his pan
egyric of Hieron (Id. 16) and in his portrayal of the
infant Herakles' fght with the snakes sent by Hera (Id.
24) , an episode treated by Pindar in Nem. 1.
The Roman poet most indebted to Pindar was Horace,
whose eulogy of Augustus (Odes 1. 12) opens with a quo
tation from Pindar's Ol. 2: "What man, what hero do you
undertake to celebrate on the lyre or shrill pipe, Clio, and
what god?" His hymn to Calliope (Odes 3.4) is to a con
siderable extent modeled on Pyth. 1. Horace's greatest
tribute to Pindar, however, is in Odes 4. 2, which opens
with Pindar's name and describes the dangers of trying to
emulate him: "Whoever strives to rival Pindar, Julus,
relies on wings waxed by Daedalus' craft and will give his
name to a transparent sea." In the next fve stanzas
Horace describes Pindar's poetry in terms of its power,
range, and grandeur, and compares it to a rushing river.
He then goes on to contrast Pindar, "the Swan of Dirce,"
soaring among the clouds, with himself, the small "Bee of
Matinus," staying low to the ground and laboriously gath
ering thyme. This exaggerated characterization of these
two styles provided the Renaissance with its distinction
between the "greater" Pindaric and the "lesser" Horatian
odes.
For an examination of Isocrates' adaptations, see W. H.
Race, "Pindaric Encomium and Isokrates' Ecagoras," Transac
tions of the Amrican Philological Association 117 (1987)
131-155.
32
INTRODUCTION
Soon after Pindar's epinikia were published in Europe
in the early 16th century, the French poet Ronsard, who
aspired to become the "French Pindar," published a col
lection of fourteen Pindaric odes in praise of contempo
raries in 1550.
34 The frst important Pindaric adaptation
in English poetry is Ben Jonson's "To the Immortal Mem
ory and Friendship of that Noble Pair, Sir Lucius Cary
and Sir H. Morison" ( 1630), which imitates Pindar's tri
adic structure with "Turns, " "Counter-Turs," and
"Stands." In 1656 Abraham Cowley published his "Pin
darique Odes." He began his preface with the famous
statement: "If a man should undertake to translate Pindar
word for word, it would be thought that one mad-man
had translated another." Taking as his point of departure
Horace's description of Pindar in Odes 4.2, Cowley
emphaSized Pindar's "enthusiastical manner" and pro
duced irregular verse without regard for triadic structure.
After Cowley, "Pindaric" became a label for any poem
of irregular form with pretensions of grandeur. Boileau's
"Ode sur la Prise de Namur" ( 1693) and Dryden's
"Alexander's Feast" ( 1697) are examples, as are Gray's
"Progress of Poesy" and "The Bard" ( 1757). The early
German Romantics admired Pindar (especially Holder
lin, who translated a number of his epinikia), but after
wards his infuence began to diminish. Although English
Romantic poems such as Wordsworth's "Ode: Intimations
of Immortality" ( 1807) and later poems such as G. M.
Hopkins' "The Wreck of the Deutschland" ( 1875) are
sometimes called Pindaric odes, they bear little resem
blance in form or content to Pindar's poems.
* See J Schmitz. Pindar in der franzosischen Renaissance
(Gottingen 1993).
33
I NTRODUCTION
Histor of the Text
The most important early editor of Pindar's works was
Aristophanes of Byzantion, head librarian in Alexandria c.
194-180 B.C., who divided the individual poems into short
lines based on metrical cola and the entire corpus into
seventeen books. The numerous epinikia were separated
into manageable rolls according to the four major games
at which the victories were won. Within each roll the
odes were ordered by the categories of events, beginning
with the equestrian (in the order of chariot race, horse
race, mule car race) followed by the gmnastic (in the
order of pancratium, wrestling, boxing, pentathlon, and
foot races). 35
Since only the wealthy could afford to raise and train
horses of the caliber to win at the great games, this
arrangement favored Pindar's powerful patrons and
placed more impressive odes at the beginning of each
roll. Deviations from this system are instructive. If strict
order were followed, OZ. 2 and 3 celebrating Theron's
chariot victory should precede OZ. 1 celebrating Hieron's
Single-horse victory, but we are told that Aristophanes
placed the latter first because it contained praise of the
Olympic games. The eminence of Hieron and the scale
of the ode must have been factors in this reversal as well,
because OZ. 3 also tells of the establishment of the
Olympic games. It is questionable whether Pyth. 2 cele
brates a Pythian victory at all, while Pyth. 3, not an
Simonides' epinikia were arranged by events won; apart
from the fact that odes for the same victor are grouped together,
no particular order is apparent among Bacchylides' epinikia.
34
I NTRODUCTION
epinikion in any strict sense, merely refers in passing to a
previous single-horse victory at Pytho. Yet these two
poems were placed ahead of Pyth. 4 and 5 that celebrate
Arkesilas' chariot victory, presumably to form a group of
odes to Pindar's greatest patron. Anomalous odes were
placed at the end of books. The fnal Pythian ode, Pyth.
12, celebrates a victory in pipe-playing, and the last three
Nemeans were not composed for Nemean victories. Nem.
9 celebrates a chariot victory in the Sikyonian games,
Nem. 10 a wrestling victory in the Argive games (although
previous victories in the crown games are mentioned),
and Nem. 11 celebrates the installation of a former ath
lete as a magistrate in Tenedos.
Two Pindaric scholars of note who followed Aristo
phanes of Byzantion were Aristarchos of Samothrace (c.
217-145 B.C. ) and Didymos (c. 80-10 B C. ), the latter of
whom composed lengthy commentaries, bits of which
have come down to us as scholia (marginal notes) in our
MSS. In the 3rd century A.T. the other books began to
drop out of circulation and only the four books of epinikia
continued to be read.
36
About this time they were trans
ferred from papyrus rolls to codices, apparently in the
order of the founding of the games: Olympian, Pythian,
Isthmian, and Nemean. At some point the last two books
were interchanged and some of the final pages of the Isth
mian odes were lost.
See J. Irigoin, Histoire du tere de Pindare (Paris 1952).
Eustathios, Praefatio 34 reports that the epinikia were especially
popular because they were more concered with human affairs
(avOpW1KWTepot), contained fewer myths, and were not as dif
cult as the other genres.
35
INTRODUCTION
In the 4th and 5th century A.T.two recensions of the
epinikia took shape: the Ambrosian recension, repre
sented by a single MS in the Ambrosian Library in Milan
(end of 13th cent. ) , and the Vatican recension, best repre
sented by two MSS, one in the Vatican Library (end of
12th cent. ) 3
7
and the other in the Laurentian Library in
Florence (early 14th cent. ). Although both recensions
derive from the same source (probably a 2nd cent. edi
tion) , they differ, especially in their scholia. Two lesser
recensions are the Parisina, best represented by a MS in
Paris (late 13th cent. ), and the Gottingensis, by a MS in
Gottingen (mid-13th cent. ).
The late Byzantine period saw a revival of editorial
work on Pindar. Eustathios (d. c. 1194) wrote a commen
tary, but only the preface has survived A century later
editions were prepared by Thomas Magister (c. 1280-
1350), Manuel Moschopoulos (H. 1300), and Demetrios
Triklinios (c. 1280-1340). Modern editors have adopted
many of their readings, and many of the more than 180
extant MSS exhibit their editorial work.
The follOwing table provides the sigla for the principal
MSS.
Recensio Ambrosiana
A Ambrosianus C 222 inf.
Recensio Parisina ( = ')
C Parisinus graecus 2774
N Ambrosianus E 103 sup.
c. 1280
al. 1-12
c. 1300 al. 1-
Pyth. 5.51
late 13th cent. al. 1-14
37 For a facsimile of the Olympian odes in this MS, see
J. Irigoin, Pindare Olympiques (Vatican 1974).
36
,
INTRODUCTION
I Leidensis Q 4 B c. 1300 al. 1-13
U Vindobonensis graecus early 14th al. 1-
130 cent. Nem. 2
V Parisinus graecus 2403 late 13th al. 1-
cent. Nem. 4.68;
6. 38-44
Recensio Vaticana ( =v)
B Vaticanus graecus 1312 late 12th al. 1-
cent. Isth. 8. 53
(with some
lacunae)
D Laurentianus 32, 52 early 14th al. 1-
cent. Isth. 9.8
E Laurentianus 32,
.
'7 c. 1300 01. 1-
Pyth. 12.25
F Laurentianus 32, 33 late 13th al. 1-
cent. Pyth. 12.32
L Vaticanus graecus 902 early 14th al. 1-10
cent.
Recensio Gottingensis ( = ,)
mid-13th Ol. l- G Gottingensis philologus
29 cent. Nem. 3
H Vaticanus graecus 41 early 14th al. 1-
cent. Pyth. 12
In addition, U = , v; ( EFL ,,l= scholion; 1 =
papyrus; paraphr. = scholiastic paraphrase; Byz. = read
ings in the Byzantine interpolated MSS. The most Impor
tant papyri are P Oxy. 408 (fr. 140a-b), 659 (Parth. 1-2),
841 (Pae. 1-10), 1604 (Dith. 1-3), 1792 (frr of paeans),
and 2450 (jr 169a). Those cited in the critical apparatus
of the epinikia are:
37
I NTRODUCTI ON
I
1
P Oxy. 13. 1614
12 P Oxy. 17. 2092
122 PSI 1277
I
2
4
Oxy. 26.2439
I
3
9
Ant. 2. 76 3.212
I
4
1
Berol. 16367
I
4
2 P Oxy. 3l. 2536
The editio princeps is the Aldine (Venice 1513) . The
first Latin translation is by Lonicerus (BaseI 1535). Eras
mus Schmid's edition (Wittenberg 1616) is a landmark of
Renaissance scholarship on Pindar, notable for its rhetori
cal schemata of each ode and many sound emendations.
It was closely followed by lohannes Benedictus' text
(Saumur 1620), the most widely used edition m the 17th
century (John Milton owned and annotated a copy). The
next edition of note was C. G. Heyne's (Gittingen 1798),
soon superseded by the monumental edition of August
Boeckh (Leipzig 1811-1821), which frst set forth the
division of Pindar's verse into periods rather than cola and
provided extensive commentaries (those on the Nemeans
and Isthmians were written by Ludwig Dissen). Dissen
soon followed with his own edition ( Gotha 1830). Tycho
Mommsen (Berlin 1864) proVided the first systematic
examination of the Byzantine MSS. Otto Schroeder pro
duced an important critical edition (Leipzig 1900).
Alexander Turyn's edition (Cracow 1948; Oxford 1952) is
notable for its scrupulous examination of manuscripts and
copious testimonia. Although differing in many details
and numerous readings adopted, the present text is based
primarily on the eighth edition of Snell-Maehler's Epini
cia ( 1987) and H. Maehler's Fragmenta ( 1989), to which
the reader is referred for additional details.
38
I NTRODUCTI ON
S ELECT BI BLI OGRAPHY
Scholia, Lexical and Bibliogrphical Aids,
History of Scholarship
A. B. Drachmann, Scholia Vetera in Pindari Carmina, 3
vols. (Leipzig 1903, 1910, 1927).
C. Gaspar, Essai de chronologie pindarique (Brussels
1900).
D. E. Gerber, A Bibliography of Pindar, 1513-1966
(Cleveland 1969); Pindar and Bacchylides JVo4-JV,
in Lustrum 31 ( 1989) 97-269 and Lustrum 32 ( 1990)
7-67; Emendations in Pindar 1513-1972 (Amsterdam
1976).
J. Irigoin, Histoire du texte de Pindare (Paris 195) .
M. Rico, Ensayo de bibliografia pinddrica (Madnd 1969).
YJ. Slater, A Lexicon to Pindar (Berlin 1969).
E. Thummer, "Pindaros, " Anzeiger fur die Altertums
wissenschaj, hrsg. von der
O
sterreichischen Human
istischen Gesellschaj, Innsbruck 11 ( 1958) 65-88; 19
(1966) 289-322; 27 (1974) 1-34; and 35 ( 1982)
129-164.
D. C. Young, "Pindaric Criticism," in Pindaros und Bak
chylides, ed. Y Calder III J. Stem (Darmstadt 1970)
1-95.
Commentaries
A. Boeckh, Pindari opera quae supersunt, 2.2 (Leipzig
1821) .
G. Bona, Pindaro, I Peani. Testo, traduzione, scoli e com-
mento (Cuneo 1988) .
39
I NTRODUCTI ON
B. K. Braswell, A Commentary on the Fourth Pythian
Ode ofPindar (Berlin 1988); A Commentary on Pindar
Nemean One (Fribourg 1992).
J. B. Bury, The Nemean Odes ofPindar (London 1890);
The Isthmian Odes ofPindar ( London 1892).
M. Cannati Fera, Pindarus: Threnorum Fragmenta
( Rome 1990).
C. Carey, A Commentary on Five Odes of Pindar (New
York 1981) .
L. Dissen, Pindar Carmina quae supersunt ( Cotha
1830).
L. R. Farnell, The Works ofPindar II (London 1932).
C. A. M. Fennell, Pindar: The Olympian and Pythian
Odes2 (Cambridge 1893); Pindar: The Nemean and
Isthmian Odes2 (Cambridge 1899).
M. Fernandez-Caliano, Pindaro, Olmpicas. Texto, intro
ducci6n y notas ( Madrid 1944).
D. E. Cerber, Pindar's Olympian One: A Commentary
(Toronto 1982).
B. L. Cildersleeve, Pindar: The Olympian and Pythian
Odes 2 (New York 1890).
B. A. van Croningen, Pindare au Banquet (Leiden 1960).
C. M. Kirkwood, Selections from Pindar (Chico, CA
1982).
L. Lehnus, Pindaro, Olimpiche: Traduzione, commento,
note e lettura critica ( Milano 1981) .
I. A. Privitera, Pindaro, Le Istmiche ( Milano 1982).
S. L. Radt, Pindars zweiter und sechster Paian (Amster-
dam 1958).
. C. Rutherford, Pindar's Paeans (Oxford 1997).
O. Schroeder, Pindars Pythien (Leipzig 1922).
E. Thummer, Pindar Die Isthmischen Cedichte, 2 vols.
(Heidelberg 1968-1969).
40

l
I NTRODUCTI ON
M. J. H. Van Der Weiden, The Dithyrambs of Pindar:
Introduction, Text and Commentar (Amsterdam
1991).
W. J. Verdenius, Commentaries on Pindar, 2 vols. ( Leiden
1987, 1988) .
M. M. Willcock, Pindar: Victory Odes (Cambridge 1995).
Selected Studies
E. L. Bundy, Studia Pindarca (Berkeley 1962; repr.
1986).
R. Y B. Burton, Pindar's Pythian Odes (Oxford 1962).
F. Dorseiff, Pindars Stil ( Berlin 1921) .
H. Cundert, Pindar und sein Dichterberuf (Frankfurt
1935) .
R. Hamilton, Epinikion: General Form in the Odes of Pin-
dar (The Hague 1974).
A. Kohnken, Die Funktion des Mythos bei Pindar (Berlin
1971) .
M. Lefkowitz, First-Person Fictions: Pindar's Poetic "["
(Oxford 1991) .
Y H. Race, Pindar (Boston 1986); Style and Rhetoric in
Pindar's Odes (Atlanta 1990) .
Y Schadewaldt, Der Aujau des pindarschen Epinikion
( Halle 1928).
U. v. Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, Pindaros (Berlin 1922).
D. C. Young, Three Odes ofPindar: A Literary Study of
Pythian JJ, Pythian o, and Olympian (Leiden 1968);
Pindar Isthmian :Myth and Exempla ( Leiden 1971) .
41
O^TMII I ONI KAI
OL1MIAN OOtS
OLYMPI AN 1
Olympian 1 celebrates Hieron's victory in the single
horse race (keles) in 476 (confirmed by P. Oxy. 222). The
more prestigious four-horse chariot race (tethrppon) was
won by Theron of Akragas and celebrated by Pindar in
Olympians 2 and 3. In the normal order established by
the Alexandrian editors, it would have followed the odes
to
.
Theron, but the Vita Thomana reports ( 1. 7 Dr. ) that
Anstophanes of Byzantion placed Olympian 1 first in the
collection because it "contained praise of the Olympic
games and told of Pe lops, the frst to compete in Elis."
The ode opens with a priamel, in which water and
gold, best in their respective realms, serve as foil for the
gre

test of gam
.
es, the Olympics ( 1-7). Hieron is briefly
prmsed for his wealth, hospitality, political power,
achievements
.
cel

brated in song (8-17), and in particular

for the OlympiC victory of his horse Pherenikos ( 17-23) .
The central portion of the poem contains Pindar's re
fashioning of the story of Pelops. Little is known about
this myth before Pindar, but a former version (cf. 36)
seems to have been that Tantalos served his dismembered

on P

lops at a bmquet for the gods, who, upon discover

mg hls, resurrected him from the cauldron, replaced part
of his sh

ulder (supposedly eaten by Demeter) with ivory,

and pUllshed Tantalos in Hades. Pindar attributes the
44
OLYMPI AN 1
appeal of such a tale to the charm of exaggerated story
telling (28-32) and its details to the gossip of an envious
neighbor (46-51) . In Pindar's version, Pelops was born
with an ivory shoulder (26-27) and Tantalos gave a most
proper feast (38), at which Poseidon fell in love with
Pelops and took him to Olympos as Zeus later did with
Ganymede (37-45). Tantalos' punishment resulted from
stealing nectar and ambrosia from the gods and sharing
them with his human companions (55-64) . As a conse
quence, Pelops was returned to earth (65-66). When he
grew to young manhood, he desired to win Hippodameia
in the contest contrived by her father Oinomaos, who
killed all suitors unable to beat him in a chariot race. He
called upon his former lover Poseidon for help and the
god gave him a golden chariot and winged horses, with
which he defeated Oinomaos, thereby winning Hippo
dameia, by whom he had six sons (67-89) . Pelops' tomb
now stands beside the altar ofZeus at Olympia (90-93) .
Pindar mentions the fame and satisfaction belonging
to Olympic victors (93-99) , praises Hieron as the most
knowledgeable and powerful host of his time ( 100-108),
and hopes that he will be able to celebrate a future chari
ot victory ( 108-111) . In a brief priamel, he declares that
kings occupy the apex of greatness, and concludes by
praying that Hieron may enjoy his high status for the rest
of his life and that he himself may celebrate victors as the
foremost Panhellenic poet ( 111-116).
45
1 . I EPlNI !TPAKO!I lI
KEAHTI
A "Aj:o-oveva, 6 e voo;o|0c:o:nvj
' o-c :o~c~c: vvx-:c,o:oo;cooc\ov-ov
c| ' c0\o,ovc:
c\co:, |\o: -oj,
5 yx-' dc\|ov oxnc
\\o0o\~:-cjovcv j ocv-
:ov o-jo:co;:' odo;,
y'`O\v~:o;d,a:oj-cjovovooc:
o0cv6 ~o\vo-o;:o;d:[\c-o:
ooa:y-:coo:, xc\oc:
10 K:ov~oi'c;d:co: |xovov;
xo:o: 'Io:o; co-|o:,
0c:o-cov ; dnc:oxo~-o:c:~o\v\a
l:xc\: ~a:ev xovo;dc-o:~o noo:,
d,\otc-o:exo:
15 ovo:xo;cvde-,
46
1. FOR HI ERON OF SYRACUS E
WINNER, SI NGLE- HORSE RACE, 476 B. C.
Best i s water, while gold, like fre blazing Str. l
in the night, shines preeminent amid lordly wealth.
But if you wish to sing
of athletic games, my heart, 1
look no further than the sun 5
for another star shining more warmly by day
through the empty sky,
nor let us proclaim a contest greater than Olympia.
From there comes the famous hymn that encompasses
the thoughts of wise men, who have come
in celebration of Kronos' son 2 to the rich 10
and blessed hearth of Hieron,
who wields the rightful scepter3 in fock-rich Ant. l
Sicily. He culls the summits of all achievements
and is also glorifed
in the fnest songs, IS
'Pindar regularly addresses himself or uses the first person
(often an emphatic pronoun) at climactic or transitional points in
an ode (e.g., 17, 36, 52, 100, UI. and 115b). His addresses to
Pelops (36) and Hieron ( 107. US) also signal climactic passages.
Zeus, patron god of the Olympic games.
Or scepter oflaw (cf. Il. 9.99: IKi17pOV 7' >8i 8E/LLITa< ).
47
20
25
28b
PI NDAR
olo no:oj:cv:\ov
:c; dj:i0oo-nco:. d\\oo-
:o:dno j::,,o noo\ov
\[o:', c-:-o:H:oos-c xoidccv:xov_j:;
:o:Imo ,\vxv--o:;0yxcjov-:o:v,
-cno' `A\c ov-o o;
dxv-y-ovcvjo:o:no_ov,
x-:enjooc{c con-ov,
1voxo:ov:nno-
j:o:[oo:\o \j:nc o:x\o;
cvcv:o:AvovH\ono;dno:x:
-ovc,oo0c;cooo-o Io:oo;
Hooc:, cnc: v:vxo0oov\[y-
-o;c{c\cK\o0e,
c\ov-:o::j:ovoj:ov xcxoj:vov.
0ovo no\\, xo:nov -: xoi[jo-ov
-:; bej-ovd\o0 \,ov
co:o\j:vo:(cvco:no:x:\o:;
c{ono-ov-:j:v0o:.
' Since there is no evidence for a specifcally Dorian lyre and
since the meter of the ode is Aeolic, the reference may apply to
the Dorian character of Syracuse (cf. Pyth. 1. 61-65) and, per
haps, to the presence of the Doric dialect in Pindar's choral lyric.
The district around Olympia.
3 Hieron's horse "Victory-Bringer," also victorious at Delphi
(cf. Pyth. 3.74).
48
OLYMPI AN 1
such as those we men often perform in play
about the friendly table. Come, take
the Dorian lyre1 from its peg,
.
if the splendor of Pisa 2 and of Pherenikos 'has indeed
enthralled your mind with sweetest considerations,
when he sped beside the Alpheos,4
giving his limbs ungoaded in the race,
and joined to victorious power his master,
Syracuse's horse-loving
king. Fame shines for him
.
5
in the colony of brave men founded by Lydlan Pelops,
with whom mighty Eartbholder Poseidon
fell in love, after Klotho
6
pulled him
from the pure cauldron,
distinguished by his shoulder
7
gleaming with ivory.
Yes, wonders are many, but then too, I think, in men's talk
stories are embellished beyond the true account
and deceive by means of
elaborate lies.
The river that runs through Olympia.
Pelops came from Lydia to colonize the Peloponnesos ("Pe
lops' Island"), later settled by Dorians, renownd for bravery.
One of the three Fates, associated WIth bIrths. Pmdar here
implies that Pelops was not boiled in a cauldron nor was his
shoulder replaced with ivory (as in the rejected verSIOn of the
story), but he was bathed in one (hence "pure") and was born
with an ivory shoulder.
Or furished with oshoulder
49
20
Ep. I
25
28b
PI NDAR
B' Xo:; ', ocj nov-o -cv_c:7 c|\:o0:o-oi;,
31 cn:o:oo-:j:ov xoin:o-ovcj:oo-on:o-v
j:c:o:-o no\\x:;
oj:o: ' cn|\o:no:
j:o-vc;ooa-o-o:.
35 o-: 'dvioj:cvco:xo;dj:io:-
j:vovxo\j:c|o:,oo/-|o.
v:eTo:-\ov, oe 'dv-|ono-jov0,oj:o:,
-' cxo\cocno- -ovcv:oj:e-o-o:
c;o:o:|\o:-cl|nv\o:,
dj:o:[oio 0coio:c:n:o noo:,
40 --' `A,\oo-|o::o:onoo:,
oj:v-o :o;:j:j
'
voo:o|-' d:' lnno:;
no-o:cvv-|j:ovno-ioj:o A:o;j:c-o[ooo:
:0ocv-j_:
\0c xoiIo:vj:;
45 Zvi-ov-' cnio; .
o;' o:-o; nc\c;, ovej:o-i no\-
\oj:o:j:cvo:o-c;,o,o:,
vvcnc xjv-:;ov-|xo 0ovcov ,c:-vov,
o-o;-:-cnvji o:oo:c|;dxj:ov
j:oo|-oj:ov xo-oj:\,
41
xpv(Eauri T

av' E. Schmid: xpv(faL(L) av ANacv: Xpv

(Eat Kav c: XPVCfUUFtV K' av' NP'
' Here personifed. One of Pindar's favorite words, the
meanings of Xapu, range from "beauty/grace/charm," to "splen-
50
OLYMPI AN 1
For Charis, who fashions all things pleasant for mortals,
by bestowing honor makes even what is unbelievable
often believed;
yet days to come
are the wisest witnesses.
It is proper for a man to speak
well of the gods, for less is the blame.
Son ofTantalos, of you I shall say, contrary to my
predecessors,
that when your father invited the gods
to his most orderly feast and to his friendly Sipylos2
giving them a banquet in retur for theirs,
then it was that the Lord of the Splendid Trident seized
you,
his mind overcome by desire, and with golden steeds
conveyed you to the highest home of widely honored
Zeus,
where at a later time
Ganymede came as well
for the same service to Zeus. 3
But when you disappeared, and despite much searching
no men retured you to your mother,
one of the envious neighbors immediately said in secret
that into water bOiling rapidly on the fire
they cut up your limbs with a knife,
dor/glory" (cf. IS), to "favor/gratitude" (cf. 75). Olympian 14
contains a hymn to the three Charites ( Graces).
A Lydian city near Smya. The adjective "most orderly"
corrects the older version, which told of a cannibal feast.
As cupbearer and adolescent lover.
51
Str. 2
31
35
40
Ant.
45
PI NDAR
50 rono:o|r' cj:i crroro xco
o0c::coo:ro xoi,o:.
cj:oi` noo,oor|j:o-
,o:j:oxor:' c|nci: d/oroj:o:
dxc:o\\o,_cr0oj::roxoxo,ov; .
c|e :' :o 0:oro:`O\vj:nov oxono|
55 |j:ooo:,grT:ro\o;ovro; d\-
\o,oxorono:
j:,o:o\[o:ovxcv:o0q, xj

' e\c:
ro:r:cjon\o:, :ro:noruncj
57b xj:ooc xojrcjorovr \do:,
roro|cij:cro:rorxco\o;[o\ci:
cvoov:o; d\oro:.
I _c:' dn\oj:o:[|orrovrorcj:ccj:o_0o:
60 j:cro rj:orrroro:nror, d0o:rov;x\o:;
o\/xcoo:ovj:nro:;
rxrodj:[oo|o:rc
oxcr, oo:0:ro:
0: r:r. c|e0cord:;\ncro|
<>\o0j:c: jor, oj:orrc:.
65 rovrcxonoxo: v:o: d0:oro|o: n\::
j:cro ro ro_vnorj:or ov; dro:0:o; .
njo;cv:0cj:o: ' rc v:
52
5
7 oi to:Fennel!: UV o Hermann: :ut ocodd.
64
eEl iu Mommsen: 0cooi ou:oi codd. I <t:> suppl. Byz.
65
otransp. Triclinius: :ouickc ovett.
OLYMPI AN 1
and for the final course distributed your flesh
around the tables and ate it.
But for my part, I cannot call any of the blessed gods
a glutton '-stand back:
impoverishment is often the lot of slanderers.
If in fact the wardens of Olympos honored any mortal
man, Tantalos was that one. He, however,
could not digest
his great good fortune, and because of his greed he won
an overwhelming punishment in the form of a massive
rock which the Father2 suspended above him;
in his constant eagerness to cast it away from his head
he is banished from joy. 3
He has this helpless existence of constant weariness,
the fourth toil along with three others, 4 because he stole
from the deathless gods the nectar and ambrosia
with which they had made him immortal,
and gave them to the companions who drank
with him. But if any man hopes to hide any deed
from a god, he is mistaken.
And so, the immortals cast his son back
once again among the shortlived race of men.
And toward the age of youthful bloom,
` Perhaps a euphemism for cannibal.
Zeus.
3 In Homer's account (Od. 11.582-592) Tantalos stands in the
midst of food and water that elude his grasp.
` I. e. , the punishments of Tityos, Sisyphos, and Ixion, the
other three arch-sinners. Alternatively, the expression may be
proverbial, meaning toil upon toil.
53
50
Ep. 2
55
57b
Str. 3
60
65
PI NDAR
\:o: r:r\o:,rc:orjcor,
c-oiordrcr-:ocr,o:
70 II:o-onoono-o;cvoo:'Innoj:c:or
oc0j:cr. c,,v; c\0a: no\:o; \o;oo;crojr
)
nvcr[ovx-vnor
Ev-|o::o: 6 ' ov-
no no oco::y.
75 -j:ercnc"1|\:oaoKvn|o;
,' ci-:,IJooc|oo:,c;::
-\\c-o:,nooo:,_o;O::oj:ov\xco:,
cj:e ' cni-ov--o:njcvoorj:-o:
s, A\:r, x-c: en\ooo:.
cnc-jci;-c xox' :o;\oo:;
80 j::oo-o;d:o[\\c-o:,j:o:
0v,o-; . 6 j:,o; ex|r-
v:o

:o\xoovo-o\oj:[rc:.
0o:cir' oo:rd:,xo,- x-:;d:a:vj:o:
,o;crox- xo0j:cro; eo:j:-o:, (
n:-o: xo\a: oo;, d\\' co
j:er ov-o; c0\o;
85 vnoxc|oc-o: -veno:|\o:|o:.
;rrcncr ov' dxr-o:;co-o
86b nco:. -orj:er d,\\o: 0c;
oxcr|o:-c_vocorn-cjoi-
o|r-' dxj:or-o;nnov;.
71 yyv, Bergk: yyv, ccodd.
54
OLYMPI AN 1
when downy hair began covering his darkened chin,
he took thought of the marriage that was open to all,
to winning famous Hippodameia from her father,
the Pisan. He approached the gray sea alone at night
and called upon the deep-thundering
Lord of the Fine Trident, who appeared
right by his feet.
He said to him, "If the loving gifts of K ypris
count at all for gratitude, Poseidon,
come! hold back the bronze spear of Oinomaos
and speed me in the swiftest of chariots
to Elis2 and bring me to victorious power,
for having killed thirteen suitors
he puts off the marriage
of his daughter. Great risk
does not take hold of a cowardly man.
But since men must die, why would anyone sit
in darkness and coddle a nameless old age to no use,
deprived of all noble deeds? No!
that contest shall be mine
to undertake; you grant the success I desire. "
Thus he spoke, and wielded no unfulfilled
words. The god honored him
with the gift of a golden chariot
and winged horses that never tire.
'Aphrodite.
2 The region in which Olypia and Pisa are located.
55
Ant. :
71
75
80
Ep. 3
85
86b

90
95
100
105
PI NDAR
cXcv' O|:oov[|o:no0:o:-c ovvcvvov
-cxc \o,-o;c dc-oio:cj:o-o;v:ov;.
vvv' cv o:j:oxov|o:;
d,\ooio:j::x-o:,
`A\covnj x\:0c|;,
-v[ovdj:|no\ov_ovno\vcvo-
--noo[oj:

-o ex\o;
-y\0cvojxc-ov`O\vj:n:ovcvjo:;
H\ono;,vo-o_v-o;noovc|(c-o:
dxj:o|T |o_vo; 0oovcovo:
o v:xove\o:novdj:[|o-ov
_c:c\:-cooovcv|o:
d0\ov

evcxcv -o ' o|cnocovco\v

no-ovj_c-o:cov-i[jo-ov. cj:eeo-covooo:
xcivov:nn|vj:
A|o\y|:o\
_j nno:0oevov
j: -:v'dj:-coxo\ov-cio tu-
j:o xov:oj::v xv:-cjov
-ov,cvvv x\v-oio:o:o\oocvj:vovn-yoi;.
0co;cn:-jono; cov-coio:j:c-o:
_ov -ov-oxoo;,'Iov,
56
89 ETEKE Boehmer: TEKE T Byz.: TEKE vett.
104 al-a vett.: a"Aov Byz. : aAA Hermann
107 Ka8o Boeckh: Kv8o CEYPL: Ki8o reil.
' The altar ofZeus.
OLYMPI AN 1
He defeated mighty Oinomaos and won the maiden as his
wife.
He fathered six sons, leaders eager for achievements.
And now he partakes
of splendid blood sacrifices
as he reclines by the course of the Alpheos,
having his much-attended tomb beside the altar
thronged by visiting strangers.
1
And far shines that
fame of the Olympic festvals gained in the racecourses
of Pelops, where competition is held for swiftness of feet
and boldly laboring feats of strength.
And for the rest of his life the victor
enjoys a honey-sweet calm,
so much as games can provide it. But the good that
comes each day
is greatest for every mortal. 2 My duty is to crown
that man with an equestrian tune
in Aeolic song.3
For I am confdent that there is no other host
both more expert in noble pursuits and
more lordly in power
alive today to embellish in famous folds of hymns.
A god acting as guardian makes this his concer:
to devise means, Hieron, for your
Although satsfaction for great achievement may last a life
time, humans must live each day and not rest on laurels.
3 The equestrian tune, also called the Kastor Song (cf. Pyth.
2.69 and 18th. 1. 16), was sung to honor horsemen. "Aeolic" may
refer to the meter or possibly to the musical mode.
57
Str. 4
90
95
Ant. 4
100
105
llO
ll5
115b
P I NDAR
|vo:oo / e j:rov \|no:,
r:,\vxvrovxv\~oj:o:
vj:or:0o x\u-
:v~|xovjovvjovoo:\,ov
no' |\ov\0o:Kv:ov. j:oij:evo:
Moiooxorerorov[\o;d\xrc
cv\\o:o: '\\o:j:,\o:ro 'E-
oorovxovovro:
[oo:\vo:. j:gxr:n~ro:v~o:ov.
g o rrovrovvov jvov~oriv,
cj:rrooov:xoo:;
oj::\ivnovrovoo|xo0''E\-
\o:o;vro novr.
1 13
EV V: om. reil. : ' Byz.
58
OLYMPI AN l
aspirations, and unless he should suddenly depart,
I hope to celebrate an even sweeter success
with a speeding chariot,
1
having found
a helpful road of words 2
when coming to Kronos' sunny hill. 3 And now for me
the M use tends the strongest weapon in defense:
others are great in various ways, but
the summit is crowned
by kings. Look no further. 4
May you walk on high for the time that is yours,
and may I join victors whenever they win
and be foremost in wisdom
among Hellenes everywhere.
'Hieron won the chariot race two Olympiads later (468), but
Bacchylides (in Ode 3) , not Pindar, celebrated it.
The road to Olympia will be helpful to the poet by provid
ing ample material for praise.
3 The hill of Kronos was adjacent to the precinct of Zeus at
Olympia.
*Regardless of whether Hieron furthers his athletic success,
he has reached the pinnacle of political power by being king.
59
Ep. 4
I I I
115
l l5b
OLYMPI AN 2
Olymp

ans 2 and 3 celebrate the victory of Theron of

Akragas Wth the tethrppon in 476. The city of Akragas
(modern Agrigento), a colony of Gela, flourished under
Theron and his brother Xenokrates (also celebrated in
Pyth. 6 and 1sth. 2), who belonged to the clan of the
Emmenidai and claimed a Theban hero Thersandros as
an ancestor. Theron became tyrant of Akragas around
488 and conquered Himera in 482. In 480 he and Gelon
of Syracuse defeated the Carthaginians at the battle of
Himera, spoils from which helped make Akragas one of
the most splendid cities in Wester Greece.
The ode o

ens with a priamel (imitated by Horace,

Odes 1. 12),
.
WhIC culminates in Theron's Olympic victory
( 1-6). He IS praised for his hospitality to foreigners and
for his civic-mindedness, as the most recent in a distin
gUished family of benefactors who have labored on behalf
of Akragas. The poet seals his praise with a prayer to
Zeus as god of Olympia that their progeny may inherit the
land (6-15).
Gnomic refections follow: time cannot change what
has happened in the past, but good fortune can bring for
getfulness and quell the pain (15-22) . Two Theban exam
ples are cited: Semele, who, slain by Zeus' thunderbolt, is
beloved on Olympos and Ino, who enjoys immortality in
60
OLYMPI AN 2
the sea among the Nereids (22-30) . Humans, however,
do not know when they will die, or if a day will end well,
because they are subject to alterations of happiness and
suffering (30-34) . So it was with Theron's ancestors:
Oedipus slew his father Laios and the Fury of vengeance
( Erinys) caused his sons to kill each other, but Polyneikes'
son Thersandros survived to win glory in athletics and war
and to continue the line of Adrastos, king of Argos
(35-45) .
As a descendant of Thersandros, Theron deserves to
be celebrated, because he has won an OlympiC victory,
as his brother has won chariot victories at Delphi and at
the Isthmos (46-51) . Several gnomic refections follow
on the proper use of wealth for virtuous ends and on the
punishment that awaits the spirits of evildoers after death
(51-58), in the midst of which Pindar gives an account of
the afterlife, the most extensive in his extant poetry,
which envisions the transmigration of souls and their
reward and punishment. The passage culminates in a
description of the Isle of the Blessed, inhabited by those
who have lived just lives through three cycles: Peleus,
Kadmos, and Achilles (58-83).
Appearing in the guise of an archer, the poet declares
that he has many things to say, but declines to do so, fur
ther comparing himself to an eagle who is wise by nature
in contrast to mere learers who are like crows (83-88) .
Taking aim with his arrows at Akragas, he declares that no
city in a century has produced a man more generous and
kind than Theron. He then stops short of enumeratng
Theron's benefactions because, like grains of sand, they
cannot be counted (89-100).
61
2. 8HP!NI AKPAr ANTI N!I
APMATI
A' `A:o{::,,c;vo:,
.
0
7 7 ? ? 3 7 :o cov, : oo, :o o:oo xc\oooocv
-o:Hooev A:; `O\vno
' o-oocv`Hox\;
dx0oo~o\ov
5 Oo:o e -c-oo:o; evcxo::xoov
,c,ov-ov, om :xo:ov{:ov,
co'`Ax,o:-o;,
cvovvo:-cno-o:o-o:0~o\o
xov-c;o no\\o0v
|cjovo_ovoxovo-oov, 2:xc\:o;-' oo:
10 0o\;, o|a: ' c~cjo:o;,
v\ov-v-cxoi :v ,o:
,vo:o:;cv' djc-oi;.
.
d\\'a Kv:c noi 'Po;, eo; `O\v~ov vov
6
g.vwv Hermann: g.vov codd.
For an account of Herakles' founding of the Olympic games
62
2. FOR THERON OF AKRAGAS
WI NNER, CHARI OT RACE, 476 B. C.
Hymns that rule the lyre,
what god, what hero, and what man shall we celebrate?
Indeed, Pisa belongs to Zeus, while Herakles
established the Olympic festival
as the firstfruits of war; '
but Theron, because of his victorious four-horse chariot,
must be proclaimed-a man just in his regard for guests,
bulwark of Akragas,
and foremost upholder of his city from a line of famous
ancestors,
who suffered much in their hearts
to win a holy dwelling place on the river, 2 and they were
the eye3 of Sicily, while their allotted time drew on,
adding wealth and glory
to their native virtues.
Lson of Kronos and Rhea, 4 ruling over your abode on
Olympos,
with the spoils from defeating Augeas, see OZ. 10.24-59.
Akragas was located on a river of the same name.
3 1. e. pride, most precious part (cf. OZ. 6.16).
*Zeus.
Str. 1
5
Ant. 1
10
63
PI NDAR
d0\o:-c xovo:nor-' `A\cov,
|o:0csdo:o
cvorovo:-:no-|o:o|oox:oor
15 \o,rc:. -aencno,:o:
cv |x rc xoinoo |xor dno|-orov' :
X:o0 nor-or no-
vro:-o 0c:j,or -\o
\0oen-ov:cvo|or:,ro:-' :.
co\a:,obo _oo-orno 0:oxc:
20 no\|,xororooo0:,
B' -or0covMoonn
drcxo o\[o: v\:. enc-o: e \,o cv0ro:
Koo:oxovo:, no0o:o c,\o
n:0oen|rrc:[ov
xjcoorornjod,o0a:.
25 ec:e:ci `O\vn|o: dno0o:ooo[
xcjovrov-o:v0c:o`c\o, :\c
cv:i Ho\oo:c|
xoiZcvno,\o:\ceno0 x:oooo
\,or-:' c: xoi0o\oo
c-o xjo:o:No\|o:[|o-or0:-o:
26
<"Ol'Tt SE MOL<a, post aiEL sec!. Aristophanes metri
causa
64
OLYMPI AN 2
over the pinnacle of contests, and over Alpheos' course,
cheered by my songs
graciously preserve their ancestral land
for their children still to come. Once deeds are done,
whether in justice or contrary to it, not even
Time, the father of all,
could undo their outcome.
But with a fortunate destny forgetfulness may result,
for under the force of noble joys the pain dies
and its malignancy is suppressed,
whenever divine Fate sends
happiness towering upwards. This saying befits
Kadmos' fair-throned daughters,
1
who suffered greatly;
but grievous sorrow subsides
in the face of greater blessings.
Long-haired Semele lives among the Olympians
after dying in the roar of a thunderbolt;
Pallas loves her ever
and father Zeus; and her ivy-bearing son loves her very
much.
They say, too, that in the sea
Ino has been granted an immortal life
Of Kadmos' four daughters (cf. Pyth. 3.96-99) , Pindar here
Singles out Semele and Ino. Semele was killed by lightning when
she requested to see her lover Zeus in his full splendor; Zeus res
cued Dionysos (her "ivy-bearing son," 27) from the ashes. Ino
leapt into the sea to escape her mad husband Athamas and
became a Nereid, also called Leukothea (cf. Od. 5. 333-335).
65
Ep. l
16
20
Str. 2
25
Ant. 2
PI NDAR
30 `I:o -c-0o:-ov\ovdj:i:o:.
-o:[jo-o,cxx:-o:
ncio; ov-:0ov-ov,
ov' o:j:o:jovon-cno' dc\|ov
d-c:c ov:d,o0-c\cv-ooj:c:
ooi ' \\o-' \\o:
cv0vj::o:-c-oxonvov; :o;[o:.
35 ov-o eMo', a -cno-je:ov
-ov' c:-ovcvo:on-j:ov, 0c-qovv o\[a
cc| -:xoinjj:' ,c:,
.
no\:v-nc\o: \\ jv
{ovvcjx-c:vcAo:j::j:o; v|;
ovvov-j:cvo;, cveIJv0av:jo0v
40 no\o|o-ov-\coocv.
r ' /oioo ' {ci'`E::v;
nc:o|ov:d\\o\oo:|yvo; d:ov
\c|0yeOjoovo;cj:cv-:IJo\v-
:c|xc:, vo:;cvd0\o:;
cvj:o:;-cno\j:ov
45 -:j:ej:cvo;, `Aoo-:o: 0\o; da,o: j:o:;
0cvonjj:o-o;o:-o |{o: njnc:
-ov A|:yo:j:ov
yxaj:|a:-cc\ov \vo: -c-vyovj:cv.
66
I
OLYMPI AN 2
among the sea-dwelling daughters of Nereus for all time.
Truly, in the case of mortals
death's end is not at all determined,
nor when we shall complete the day, the child of the sun,
in peace with our blessings unimpaired.
For various streams bearing
pleasures and pains come at various times upon men.
Thus it is that Fate, who controls the kindly destiny
that is the patrimony of this family, adds to their
heaven-sent happiness some misery as well,
to be reversed at another tme-
from that day when his fated son ' met and killed Laios
and fulflled the oracle
declared long before at Pytho.
When the sharp-eyed Fury saw it,
she killed his warrior progeny2 in mutual slaughter;
but Thersandros, who surived the fallen Polyneikes,
gained honor in youthful contests
and in the battles of war,
to be a savior son to the house of Adrastos' line. 3
It is fitting that the son of Ainesidamos, 4
whose roots spring from that seed,
should meet with victory songs and lyres.
For at Olympia he himself
Oedipus. Eteokles and Polyneikes.
3 He was the son of Polyneikes and of Adrastos' daughter,
Argeia. He saved the line because Adrastos' own son was killed in
the attack of the Epigonoi against Thebes (cf. Pyth. 8.48-55).
*Theron.
67
30
Ep. 2
36
40
Str.
45
Ant.
PI NDAR
,o;cx-o, IJv0a:: ' oj:x\oo:c; dc\cv
50 `Io0oi-cxo::oX:-c;:0co-c-
0:nnovvacxoj:a:
,o,o: -o e-vcv
nc:ej:cvovd,a::o;voo:o:noo\vc:.
o :n\ovro;djc-o;co:o\j::o;
jc:-ov-cxo-ov
xo:o:[o0c:o:vrovj::vo:d,o-o:,
55 do-d|{y\o;,c-vj:e-o-ov
dvj ,,o; c|v:vov-:; olcv-o\\o:,
-:0ovv-ovj:evcv-
0'ov-:x'dn\ovo:jvc;
`
' `
` no:vo; c-c:oov--o cv-c :o; d
d\:- xor,o;:x{c:-:; c0
60 \,ov oo:; d:yx
oo:;evvx-coo:v o|c|,
" 8' z
>
:oo:; oj:co:;o:ovcov-c;, dnovo-cjov
co\o xo:-o:[:o-o:, ov 0:o -o-
ooo:-c;vcjo;dxj:
52 OV(polal Dindorf, Schroeder; oV(PO(VVal Aa;
OV<cpocVla, CPc; dcPOCVI'[ rr
2
; dcp0<vval Mommsen e
scho!. : dcpocVla, Bowra
62 '<at> o' Mommsen; '<at> o El vett.rr
2
; '<a o El Byz.
I Xenokrates, celebrated in Pyth. 6 and 1sth. 2.
68
OLYMPI AN 2
received the prize, while at Pytho and the Isthmos
Graces shared by both bestowed upon his equally
fortunate brotherl crowns for his team of four
horses that traverse twelve laps. Winning
releases from anxieties2 one who engages in competition.
Truly, wealth embellished with virtues
provides ft occasion for various achievements
by supporting a profound and questing ambition;
it3 is a conspiCUOUS lodestar, the truest
light for a man. If one has it and knows the future,
that the helpless spidts
of those who have died on earth immediately
pay the penalty-and upon sins committed here
in Zeus' realm, a judge beneath the earth
pronounces sentence with hateful necessity;
but forever having sunshine in equal nights
and in equal days,4 good men
receive a life ofless toil,
for they do not vex the earth
2 If OV<cpolal is read, the gnome repeats a major theme of
the ode (cf. 1822). A scholiast read dcpoCVl'al ("from folly")
and P. Oxy. 2092 gives dcPOCVI'[ . The thought can be paralleled
(cf. OZ. 5. 16, Solon 13.70, Theogn. 590, and Thuc. 6. 16.3), but it
seems less germane here.
3 I.e. wealth used in accordance with dpera in quest of noble
achievements (cf. lines 10-11) .
*Fr 129 (from a dirge) says that the sun shines in Hades dur
ing nighttime on earth, but this passage seems to envision a con
tinual equinox.
69
50
Ep. 3
56
60
Str. 4
PI NDAR
ovnvova
65 xc:vovnoo |o:-ov, d\\o noo j:vj:|o:;
0ca:oi:c;o:ovcvox|o:;
oxjvv:j:ov-o:
o/a:o, -o ' dcooo-ovxo:nvov.
oo:' \j:ooovco-|s
exo-a0: j:c|:o:-c;dno j:no: d:xov c:v
70 v:, -c:\ov :o; oo:nooK-
:ov-vo+ :0oj:oxa:
:ooo:xco:|c;
oo:nc:nvo:o:: v0cj:o voov\yc:,
-o j:vcjo0cvdn'dy\oa:cvjov,
a ' \\o[c:,
jj:o:o:-ovo; d:on\xo:xoo-c:ov;
75 [ov\o; cv0oo:'Pooj::0vo;,
vno-c:j:,o;e-oj:ovov-cco:,
co:; 0 nv-ov'Po;
vc-o-ovco:oo; 0vov.
H\cv;-cxo Kj:o;cv-oo::d\yov-o:
`A:\\o-' vc:x',cncZyvo;-oj
80 \:-o;nc:oc, j:-y
L ; Ex-oooo\c, To:o;
76 /Eya< D2: yi, codd.
70
`
J
OLYMPI AN 2
or the water of the sea with the strength of their hands
to ear a paltry living. No, in company with the honored
gods, those who joyfully kept their oaths
spend a tearless
existence, whereas the others endure pain too terrible to
behold.
But those with the courage to have lived
three times in either realm, while keeping their souls
free from all unjust deeds, travel the road ofZeus
to the tower of Kronos, 2 where ocean breezes
blow round
the Isle of the Blessed, and flowers of gold are ablaze,
some from radiant trees on land, while the water
nurtures others; with these they weave
garlands for their hands and crowns for their heads,
in obedience to the just counsels of Rhadamanthys,
whom the great father3 keeps ever seated at his side,
the husband of Rhea, she who has
the highest throne of all.
Peleus and Kadmos are numbered among them,
and Achilles too, whom his mother brought,
after she persuaded the heart ofZeus with her entreaties.
He laid low Hektor, Troy'S
Or in both realm (on earth and in Hades) for a total of six
times.
2 The road of Zeus and tower of Kronos are not otherwise
known. For other accounts of an afterlife in the Isle(s) of the
Blessed, see Od. 4.563-569, Hes. Gp. 169-173, and Plato, Carg.
523AE. 3 Kronos, husband of Rhea.
71
65
Ant. 4
70
Ep. 4
76
80
Str. 5
PI NDAR
oo:doro[g x:ovo, Kvxvov-c 0o:- vjcv,
`Aov; -c no' A|0:ono. no\\ p l
dyxovo; xo [\y
vov cv- o-o;
85 a:c:-o ovvc-oioo c; e -on:eo:a:
o-:{c. ooo; o no\\ c|a;v
j:o0v-c;e\[o:
no,,\ooo| xoxc;;xov-o,ovc-o:
A:o; no; ov:o 0cov
vccvvvoxon-o:,,c0vj:-::o[\\oj:cv
90 cx o\0oxo;ov-c jcvo;cvx\o;o-
:o-ov; :v-c;, cn|-o:
` Ax,ov-:-o:voo:;
ovooo: cvjx:ov \,o:d\o0ci:q,
-cxc: -:i exo-v,c c-ov~\:v
:\o:;:oj:o\\o:
cvcy-o:non:o:vd0ovo-cv-co
95 Oa:o;.d\\'ol:o:cn[oxjo;
87 yapvETwv Bergk
9
2
av8ocO
!
EV B(scho!. D)
Kyknos was Poseidon's son, Memnon the son of Eos and
Tithonos; for a similar catalog of Achilles' victims, see 18th. 5. 39.
Or but in generl. The translation of :o uu as "crowd"
adopted by many editors cannot be paralleled. I interpret verses
83-88 to express Pindar's intention of dispensing with further
details about the afterlife (as much as "those who understand"
72
OLYMPI AN 2
invincible pillar of strength, and gave to death Kyknos
and Dawn's Ethiopian son. 1 I have many swift arrows
under my arm
in their quiver
that speak to those who understand, but for the whole
subject, 2 they need
interpreters. Wise is he who knows many things
by nature, whereas learers who are boisterous
and long-winded are like a pair of crows 3 that cry in vain
against the divine bird ofZeus. 4
Now aim the bow at the mark, come, my heart. At whom
do we shoot, and this time launch from a kndly spirit
our arrows of fame? Yes,
bending the bow at Akragas,
I will procllim a statement on oath with a truthful mind,
that no city within a century has produced
a man more beneficent to his friends
in spirit and more generous of hand than
Theron. But enough: upon praise comes tedious excess,
5
might appreciate them), in order to provide a categorical evalua
ton ofTheron's generosity.
The scholia claim that the two crows (or ravens) represent
Bacchylides and Simonides, but the dual may reflect traditional
stories of pairs of crows.
*The eagle. For a similar contrast (with jackdaws) , see Nem.
3.80-82.
Kopo< is excess in praise that becomes tedious to the audi
ence and obstructs a just assessment of achievements (cf. Pyth.
1. 82, 8.32, and Nem. 10.20).
73
85
Ant. 5
90
Ep. 5
PI NDAR
, S"
7
_ _
,
> -
ov :xq ovvov-ocvo;, ooo,avvn ovoov,
-o\o\o,oo:0\ov
xvov-c ev o\ovxo\oi;
,o:;neoppo;d:0povncj:neycv,
xoxeivo;ooojo-'\\o:;0xcv,
100 -|;ovoo: vvo:-o,
97 BEAwl codd.: BEAol Coppola: BEAEt Wilamowitz | KPV,Ol
(vel Kpv,61) Aristarchus: Kpv,t61' codd. | TE BEpev codd.: nBE
PEI Hermann I E<AWI KaAO', Aristarchus: E<(B)Aol (fAWI A)
KaKo" codd.
74
OLYMPI AN 2
which does not keep to just limits, but at the instigation
of greedy men is eager to prattle on
and obscure noble men's good
deeds; for grains of sand escape counting,
and all the joys which that man has wrought for others,
who could declare them?
96
100
75
OLYMPI AN 3
This ode celebrates the same victory as al. 2. The
scholia report that it was performed for the Theoxenia
(feast of welcome for gods) honoring the children of
Tyndareos, but the evidence for this theory is derived
from the poem itself and has no compelling authority.
The centerpiece of the poem is the etiological narrative,
structured in ring composition, that tells how Herakles
brought the olive tree from the land of the Hyperboreans
to grace the Olympic festival that he had just founded.
The poet hopes to please the Tyndaridai and their
sister Helen as he honors Akragas in celebration of
Theron's Olympic victory ( 1-4). The Muse has assisted
him in his endeavor to compose this new ode in Doric
meter for a victor crowned by the Olympic judges with a
wreath of olive, which Herakles brought from the region
of the Danube (4-15). The narrative relates how, after
arranging the games, Herakles realized that the precinct
lacked trees to provide either shade or victory crowns.
During a previous trip to the H yperboreans in search
of Artemis' golden-homed doe, he had admired their
olive trees, and upon returing there, he obtained their
permission to take some to plant at Olympia ( 16-34) .
After his apotheosis on Olympos, Herakles entrusted
supervision of the games to the Tyndaridai, and it is
76
OLYMPI AN 3
because of Theron's and his family's devoted enter
tainment of these heroes that they have won such honor
in the games (34-41) . He concludes the poem
.
with a
priamel that echoes the opening of al. 1, eclarmg that
Theron has reached the limits of human achIevement, the
Pillars of Herakles, beyond which only fools would
attempt to travel (42-45) .
77
3. 8HPlNI AKPAr ANTI NlI
APMATI
A' Tv:o|o:;rc :\oc:vo:; ci:
xo\\:n\oxj: 0''E\c:
x\co: `Ax,o:ro,co|a:cvoj:o:,
Oa:o;`O\vj:n:o:|xo:
j::ov0aoo:;, dxoj:ovroov
innovoro:. Moioo ' ovrono:noc-
oroj:o: :coo|,o\o:cvvr: rjnov
5 Aa| a:: c:oj:o:nc|\
dy\oxoj:ov cncio|ro:o:j:ev
{cv0vrc; E1 orovo:
nooo:r|j:crovro 0cj:oro:jo;,
j::,, rcno:x:\,ov:
xoi[o: ov\ov cncov rc 0coo
A|:o:j:ov no:i ovj:co:njcnv-
ro;, a rc H|ooj:cycyovcv ro;no
10 0cj:ojo::|oo:r'cn' d:0enov;do:o|,
78
3. FOR THERON OF AKRAGAS
WI NNER, CHARI OT RACE, 476 B. C.
I pray that I may please the hospitable Tyndaridai
1
and Helen of the beautiful locks,
as I honor famous Akragas,
when, for Theron, I raise up an Olympic
victory hymn, the finest reward for horses
with untiring feet. And for that reason, I believe, the
M use stood beside me as I found a newly shining way
to join to Dorian measure2 a voice
of splendid celebration, because crowns
bound upon his hair
exact from me this divinely inspired debt
to mix in due measure the varied strains of the lyre,
the sound of pipes, and the setting of words
for Ainesidamos' son; 3 and Pisa too
bids me lift up my voice, for from there
come divinely allotted songs to men,
whenever for one of them, in fulfillment of Herakles'
I Kastor and Polydeukes (Latinized as Castor and Pollux);
Helen is their sister. Perhaps a reference to the ode's
Doric meter, dactylo-epitritic. 3 Theron.
79
Str. l
5
Ant. 1
10
Ep. l
PI NDAR
d-cx; 'E\\o:o|xo;,\ca: A:-
-a\o;d:vjo0cv
dxoom[\p
,\ovxjooxoovc\o|o;, -vno-c
Io-ovdno ox:oav
co,a:vc:xcv`A:-vov:o;,
15 :ao-ovOu\vn| x\\:o-o:d0\a:,
B'
20
ao:'Tnc[oja:nc|oo:;`Ano\-
\a:o; 0cno:-o \,q
n:o-oo:a::o;oc:no:xa
\oc:ox:o:-cv-cvo
.
, 0
^

^
v:o: o: jono:; o-c,.o:o: -' dc-a:.
,o ou-, no-iev[aa: ,:-
o0v-ov, :ov:; \o:voo-o;
cono;0o\o: dv-\c{cMj:o,
xoic,\a:d0\a:,:o:x|oo
xoincv-oc-|'a
0xc o0o:;cni xvo:; `A\cov
d\\' ou xo\ovjc' 0o\\c:
ao; cv[ooo:;Ko:|ovII\ono;.
-

-ov-ov coocv,vvo; o- xano;-

{c|o:;vToxovvopo;dc\|ov.
'The HeIlanodikai, who claimed descent from Aitolians,
were the Judges of the Olympic games, famous for their strict
ness.
80
OLYMPI AN 3
ancient mandates, the strict Aitolian judge
1
places above his brows
about his hair
the gray-colored adorment of olive. which once
Amphitryon's son2 brought
from the shady springs of Ister3
to be the fairest memorial of the contests at Olympia,
after he persuaded the Hyperborean people,
Apollo's servants, with his speech;
with trustworthy intenton he requested for Zeus'
all-welcoming precinct4 a plant to provide shade
for men to share and a crown for deeds of excellence.
Already the altars had been dedicated to his father, 5
and the Moon in her golden chariot at mid-month
had shown back to him her fll eye at evening,
6
and he had established the holy judging of the great
games together with their four-year festval
on the sacred banks of the Alpheos.
But as yet the land of Pelops in the vales ofKronos' hill
was not flourishing with beautiful trees.
Without them, the enclosure seemed naked to him
and subject to the piercing rays of the sun.
Herakles.
3 The upper Danube, region of the fabled Hyperboreans
("those beyond the North Wind").
*The Altis, the sacred precinct at Olympia, was a Panhellenic
("all-welcoming") site.
Zeus.
The Olympic festival was held after the second or third full
moon following the summer solstice.
81
15
Str. 2
20
Ant. 2
PI NDAR
25 g--';,oo:nojcvci0vo;oo
'I
'
o-:o:r:r r0oAo-ov; :nnooo 0v,-
{o-' c\0r-'`Axo|o;~o car

xo:nov,:on-orvo:,
cv-r:rd,,c\|o:;
Evv 0 '
0
o co; cr-v o:o,xono-o cr
voxca:c\oo:
0\cc {o:0', rno-cTov,-o
30 d:0co' `O0ao| ,ac: :c:.
_
0
7 3 7
-o:c cnor :cxo:xc:ro:0o:o
nro:o;on0c:Boo
vov -0: :c0]o::co-o0c|;.
-orr:r,\vxv;lcjo;ocr
acx,:on-ornci-o ov
7

7
:nnor v-cvoo: xo: rvrc;-ov-o: co-
-or l\oo; d:0o:o:rr|oc-o:
35 ov: ]o0vo:o:o :vo:; no:oiAo;.
-o;,ocn-oncrOv\vnr' |a:
0o-o:d,a:orcr
d:a:-'dc-a;n: xoi[:o-ov
:j\oo|o;. e ' a:no
0vo; -jvrccr`Ecr|o:;
3
0 'OpBwUiu' Ahrens
I Artemis.
Zeus'.
82
OLYMPI AN 3
Then it was that his heart urged him to go
to the Istrian land, where Leto's horse-driving daughter
1
had welcomed him on his arrival from Arcadia's ridges
and much-winding valleys,
when through the commands of Eurystheus
his father's2 compulsion
impelled him to bring back
the golden-horned doe, which formerly Taygeta
had inscribed as a holy offering to Orthosia. 3
25
Ep. 2
30
In pursuit of her he saw, among other places, that land Str. 3
beyond the blasts of the cold
North Wind, where he stood and wondered at the trees.
A sweet desire seized him
to plant some of them around the twelve-lap tur
of the hippodrome. And now he gladly attends
that festval4 with the godlike twins,
the sons of deep-girdled Leda, 5
35
for to them, as he went to Olympos, he entrusted Ant. 3
supervision of the splendid contest
6
involving the excellence of men and the driving
of swift chariots. And so, I believe, my heart
bids me afrm that to the Emmenidai
Artemis. When Taygeta, one of the Pleiades, was pursued
by Zeus, Artemis helped her escape by changing her into a doe;
on returing to her human form, she consecrated a doe to the
goddess. This is the only account to associate this episode with
the land of the Hyperboreans. The Olympic festival.
Kastor and Polydeukes. This supervision of the
Olympic games is mentioned only here. `Theron's clan.
83
PI NDAR
Oav|-' O:xvocv|~ov:v-
-ovTv:o:a:, -:n\c|o-o:o:[jo-a:
40 c:v|o: ov-ov cno|ov-o: -ono:,
cvoc[c,:av\oov-coxa:-c\c-.
c|' d:o-cvceva,x-c:a:e
jvooo|o:o-o-o,
:v: enocoo-:ov
Oa:dc-oo:v:x:a:n-c-o:
oxo0cv 'Hox\o
o-o\av. -onjoo' co-iooo[o-o:
45 xdoo:. ov v:v :aa xcvocyv.
42 aiOOtE(TaTO A: aiOOtE(TaTOV Cv
43 oe A(scho!. B) : e a
45 vw {: }w (: }"V AB I kcco Schroeder
84
OLYMPI AN 3
and Theron glory has come as a gift
from Tyndareos' horsemen sons, because of all mortals
they attend them with the most numerous feasts of 40
welcome
Hwith pious minds they preserve the rites of the blessed Ep. 3
gods.
If water is best, while gold is
the most revered of possessions,
then truly has Theron now reached the furthest point
with his achievements and
from his home
1
grasps the pillars
of Herakles. What lies beyond neither wise men
nor fools can tread. I will not pursue it; I would be foolish. 45
' I.e. through his native virtues (scho!. ).
85
OLYMPI AN 4
Olympians 4 and 5 celebrate victories of Psaumis of
Kamarina, a city on the south shore of Sicily between
Akragas and Syracuse. The scholia give the occasion of
al. 4 as a chariot victory in the 82nd Olympiad (452 B. C. ),
confirmed by the entry in P. Ox. 222: oo:ov xooj:-
vo:ov -c0j:nnor,where oo:ov is undoubtedly a mis
take for 1ov:)o;, and by Oxy. 2438. The words
`E\o-j( 1), ov ( ll) , and innoi( 14) point to a vic
tory with the tethrppon, but some argue that the ode cel
ebrates a different victory entirely-that for the mule car
commemorated in al. 5.
What we know of Psaumis must be inferred from
these two odes. He appears to have been a wealthy pri
vate citizen who helped rebuild Kamarina in 461/460
after its destruction by Gelon of Syracuse in the 480's.
The poem opens with an invocation of Zeus as chario
teer of the storm cloud, occasioned because his daughters
the Horai ( Seasons) have sent the poet as a witness of the
greatest games ( 1-3). After a gnomic refection on the joy
occasioned by news of a friend's success, Pindar reinvokes
Zeus as subduer of Typhos and lord of Mt. Aitna, and
requests that he receive favorably this Olympic victory
ode for Psaumis, who comes in his chariot, crowned with
an olive wreath (4-12). The victor is praised for his
86
OLYMPI AN 4
horse-breeding, his hospitality to many guests
:
and
.
for is
devotion to Hesychia (Peace, Concord) M hIs Clt
(14-16).
The poet claims that his praise is truthful and justifes
it by citing the example of Erginos, one of the Ar
.
gonauts,
who, in spite of appearing too old, won the race 1 armor
during the games held by Hypsipyle on Lemnos ( 17-27).
87
4. \ A TMI I KAMAPI N AI lI
APMATI
`E\orvjror[ovrodxoj:ovrnoo;
Zcvrcoi,oDo:
t
1
'
' 1
r
'
vnono:xo.,ojj::,,o;ooo;c:oooj:cvo:j:
`
ncj:jov
vjy\orrov j:jrvj' d0\ov
{c|vov' cvnjooovrov
5 oovovovr|x' d,,c\|ovnori,\vxcovco\o|
d\oK:ovno,;Ar:o: c;
novdvcj:cooovcxoro,xc\o Tva:o; [j|j:ov,
Ov\vj:nav|xov
{o:Xoj|rov0' cxorvcxoj:ov,
10 jovrorovo;cvvo0c:a:dcra:.
Iovj:a;,o xc
ov, ;c\o|orco:a0ci; H:o: xvo;ooo:
oncvc:Koj:o|v. 0co;cvjov
6 aU' c ,: aUa reil.

ou BE: iou A'

1
0 7KEL A: LKEL reil.
88
4. FOR PSAUMI S OF KAMARI NA
WI NNER, CHARIOT RACE, 452 B. C.
Driver most high of thunder with untiring feet, Str.
Zeus; on you I call because your Horai
in their circling round have sent me, accompanied by
song with the lyre's varied tones,
as a witness of the loftiest games;
and when guest-friends are successful,
good men are immediately cheered at the sweet news. 5
But, son of Kronos, you who rule Mt. Aitna,
windy burden for hundred-headed Typhos the mighty, 2
receive an Olympic victor,
and, with the aid of the Graces, this celebratory revel,
longest -lasting light for achievements of great strength. Ant.
For it
3 comes in honor of the chariot ofPsaumis,
who, crowned with Pisan olive, is eager to arouse 11
glory for Kamarina. May the god4 look favorably
The Rorai were the goddesses of seasons and of civic order
(cf. Res. rh. 901-903 and al. 13. 17).
2 Typhos (elsewhere called Typhoeus or Typhon) was pinned
under Mt. Aitna (cf. Pyth. 1. 15-28). 3 The revel (KW/W,).
Either Zeus or the gods in general. Pindar often uses BED"
or Saifwv without a specifc reference.
89
P I NDAR
c \oo;cvo;
1 /
cvc: t:: o:vco, oocrro,.o:;cro:ovnnov,
15 o|o:rrc {cv|o:; vo:xo:;,
xoivjo;'Ho|ov:\no\:vxo0o,ve
rcro:o:.
ovcvc:r,{a
\,ov :nc: ro: [jorov \c,o;
ncj K\vvo:onoo
20 Ao::a:,v:o:xa:
\vocvc{ |o;.
o\xo:o:' c:vrco:v:xovo:
ccv`Tv\c|qcro oro:o:LWI
"ohro;c,arovra
25 cc;xoiroj oov. vovro: xoi vo:;
c::o::vo\:o|
B ' "
1
'
oox:noorovo:x:o;co:xoroo:o:.
2
7 Ba/aKL A: Ba/La Kat a
90
OLYMPI AN 4
on his future prayers,
for I praise him, a most zealous raiser of horses,
delighting in acts ofall-welcoming hospitality, 15
and devoted to city-loving Hesychia1 with a sincere mind.
Iwill not taint my account
with a lie; trial is truly the test of mortals,
and this very thing rescued Klymenos' son2 Ep.
from the scor 20
of the Lemnian women.
When he won the race in bronze armor,
he said to Hypsipyle as he stepped forward for his crown,
"Such am I for speed;
my hands and heart are just as good. Even on young men 25
gray hairs often grow
before the ftting time of their life."
The personifcation of civic Peace and daughter of Dike,
one of the Horai {cf. Pyth. 8.1-18).
2 Erginos, one of the Argonauts, won the race in armor at the
games held on Lemnos during their sojourn there (cf. Pyth.
4. 252-254) .
91
OLYMPIAN 5
This is the only victory ode in our MSS whose Pindaric
authorship has been questioned. A heading in the
Ambrosian MS ( 1. 138.21 Dr. ) states, "this poem was not
among the texts, but in the commentaries of Didymos [ 1st
cent. B.C.J it was said to be Pindar's. " Although this infor
mation has occasioned much discussion of the poem's sta
tus, no compelling arguments for its exclusion from Pin
dar's works have been advanced. It celebrates Psaumis'
victory in the mule car (apene) , at some time between the
resettlement of the city of Kamarina in 461/460 and the
elimination of the event from the Olympic games in 444.
The most probable date is 448.
Each of its three triads (the shortest in the victory
odes) addresses a different deity. In the first, Kamarina is
asked to welcome Psaumis, who exalted the city that
bears her name at the Olympic games by providing feasts
of oxen and furishing entries in the races with chariots,
mules, and single horses. His victory has brought glory to
his newly built city and to his father Akron ( 1-8).
Upon his retur from Olympia, Psaumis sings the
praises of Pallas Athena, the Oanos River, the lake of
Kamarina, and the Hipparis River, which sustains the citi
zens through its canals. Psaumis apparently aided his
people hy building houses for them (9-14). Hard work
92
OLYMPI AN 5
and expenses are required to compete for a victory whose
achievement is riSky and uncertain, but when a man suc
ceeds, even his townsmen credit him with wisdom
( 15-16).
Finally, the poet invokes Zeus the Savior to grant the
city more deeds of valor and wishes Psaumis a happy old
age with his sons at his side ( 17-23). He concludes with
the observation that a man who possesses adequate
wealth and uses it to acquire fame has reached a mortal's
limits (23-24).
93
5. ' A TMI I KAMAPI N AI DI
AII HNHI
0 , -o:oo:n\vov{a:, Ko:o, \oo-o:,
5 [aov; {ov; ,oc:co-o; 0co
c|o-o;
lo [ov0vo|o; d0\ov-cncnoo;|\\o;
lnno;vo;-co:onvx|-c.-ivoE xVo;
[:
::xoo dv0xc, xoi vno-'A
xov'xv{cxoi-o: voxovco:.
6 7E/7a/Epo" ,Triclinius: 7E/7Ta/Epo" Aa
' Kamarina, nymph of the nearby lake for which the city was
named.
According to Herodoros (quoted by the schoI. ), Herakles
dedicated six double altars to Zeus-Poseidon, Hera-Athena,
94
5. FOR PSAUMI S OF KAMARI NA
WI NNER, MULE RACE, 448 B. C.
Daughter of Ocean, 1 with a glad heart receive this finest Str. I
sweet reward for lofty deeds and crowns won at Olympia,
gifts of the tirelessly running mule car and of Psaumis,
who, exalting your people-nourishing city, Kamarina,
honored the six double altars2 at the gods' greatest
festival
with sacrifices of oxen and in the five days3 of athletic
contests
with chariots, mules, and single-horse racing. By
winning, 4
he has dedicated luxurious glory to you and proclaimed
his father Akron and your
5
newly founded home.
Hermes-Apollo, Charites-Dionysos, Artemis-Alpheos, and Kro
nos-Rhea.
The reading 7E/7Ta/EP0"> "on the ffth day" in most MSS
does not make sense because the equestrian events were held
early in the Olympic program (Paus. 5.9.3). EVidently Psaumis
was conspicuous throughout the festival for his large sacrifces.
*Presumably only in the mule race (cf. u7va" 3).
Or hi. The herald at the games announced the victor's
father and city.
95
Ant. I
5
Ep. 1
B'
10
15
r'
20
PI NDAR
?
' O
-
'
7 ?
:xov :vooov xo: cono;no cvyaro:
o-o0ov,( no\:ooc IJo\\;, c|c:e: \oo;
,::
-o-covno-ov-c'I1o:o:,a|o:-c\|:o:
* _ - 7
xo:ocvov;oc-ov;, nno:;o:o:vooc:o-o-ov,
xo\\-c o-o|ov 0o\a: -oo;v|,v:ov\oo;,

,
* 7
vn ooov:o; o,a:c;.,.oo;-ovoc ovao-ov
o|c' a' ac-oo:nvo; on:o-covo-o:
njo;j,ov
x:vv: xcxo\v:o: cv e-vv-
-c;ooo xono\|-o:;o{o:cv.
1o-v:vce;Zcv,Kjv:v-c:o|a:\o:
-:ov-' `A\covcvjv[ov-o`Io:-cocvov
:-o:,
|x-o;o0cvjoo: Av|o:; anvovv ov\o;,
o|-oovn\:vcvo:o|o:o:-:cx\v-o;
o:\\c:v, o-', `O\vn:v:xc, IIooc:o:|o:o:v
lnno.;
14
1 vett.: an' Byz.
16 El o TVXOVTE< Boeckh: El o() XOVTE< codd.
' Olympia; the names recall the equestrian events (cf. C/.
1. 86-96).
Kamarina.
96

11
OLYMPI AN 5
Coming from the lovely abodes of Oinomaos and Pelops, 1
Lcity-guarding Pallas, he sings of your holy sanctuary,
the river Oanos and the lake nearby, 2
and the sacred canals, through which the Hipparis waters
the people,
and he3 quickly welds a towering grove of sturdy
dwellings,
bringing this community of townsmen from helplessness
to light.
Always do toil and expense strive for achievements
toward
an accomplishment hidden in danger, but those who
succeed
are considered wise even by their fellow citizens.
Savior Zeus in the clouds on high, you who inhabit
Kronos' hill,
and honor the broad-flowing Alpheos and the sacred cave
of Ida,
4
as your suppliant I come, calling to the sound of Lydian
pipes,
to ask that you embellish this city with famous feats of
courage,
and that you, OlympiC victor, while delighting in
Poseidon's horses
Or it, the Hipparis River, implying that wood for building
was transported on its canals.
*The scholia report a cave of Ida near Olympia, but the most
famous was on Mt. Ida in Crete.
97
Str. 2
10
Ant. 2
Ep. 2
16
Str. 3
Ant. 3
21
P I NDAR

' VLWV,

;
ravp,, 7apCTap, VWV. VIVTa T OAJOV
ap8,
itapKEWV KTaTCC Kat VA0ILav
7pOCT(EL, p"T paTVc (Eo IVEC(a.
98
OLYMPI AN 5
may carry to the end a cheerful old age,
Psaumis, wt your sons about you. If a man fosters a
sound prosperity
by having sufcient possessions and adding
praise thereto, let him not seek to become a god.
Ep. 3
99
OLYMPIAN 6
Hagesias, son of Sostratos, was apparently a close asso
ciate of Hieron and a prominent Syracusan, but his family
lived in Stymphalos in Arcadia, and it was evidently there
that this ode was first performed. From his father's side
Hagesias inherited the prophetic gifts of the family of the
lamidai and the position of custodial priest of the
prophetic altar of Zeus at Olympia. In one of his most
celebrated narratives, Pindar tells of the birth of the fami
ly's founder, lamos, whose father was Apollo. From his
mother's side, Hagesias inherited Arcadian martal and
athletic prowess. Pindar hopes that Hagesias will enjoy a
warm welcome from Hieron (who is highly praised) when
he arrives in Syracuse. The most probable dates for the
victory are 472 or 468, during the latter years of Hieron's
reign. Unfortunately, P. Oxy. 222 provides no confirma
tion since it does not list victors in the mule race.
Pindar opens by comparing his poem to a splendid
palace and his introduction to a porch with golden
columns ( 1-4). He sketches Hagesias' achievements:
Olympic victor, steward of Zeus' altar at Olympia, and a
founder of Syracuse (4-9). The gnomic observation that
only deeds achieved through risk and toil are memorable
leads to Adrastos' praise of the dead Amphiaraos as a
good seer and fighter (9-21) .
Pindar orders Phintis (presumably Hagesias' driver) to
yoke the victorious mules to his chariot of song so that
100
OLYMPI AN 6
they can drive to Laconian Pitana to celebrate Hagesias'
ancestry (22-28) . The nymph Pitana secretly bore Posei
don's child Euadne and sent her to Aipytos of Elis to
raise. When she was grown, Euadne had intercourse with
Apollo, and while the angry Aipytos was in Delphi inquir
ing about her pregnancy, she bore a boy in a thicket,
where he was fed by snakes (29-47). After Aipytos'
return, the boy remained hidden in the wilds among vio
lets ,o),for which his mother named him lamos (48-57).
When lamos became a young man, he went at night
into the Alpheos River and prayed to his grandfather
Poseidon and father Apollo that he might gain honor as a
leader (57-61) . Apollo's voice led him to Olympia, where
he granted him the gift of prophecy and made his family
(the lamidai) custodians of Zeus' altar there. Since that
time they have been celebrated throughout Hellas
(61-74). After stating that victory in equestrian competi
tions is especially subject to envy ( 74-76) , the poet
observes that Hagesias' athletic success stems from the
men in Arcadia on his mother's side, who have gained the
favor of Hermes and Zeus through their piety ( 77-81) .
Pindar claims personal ties with the city of Stympha
los, since Metope, the mother of Thebe (the epynomous
nymph of Thebes), came from there (82-87). He orders
Aineas, probably the chorus trainer, to celebrate Hera
and to show how sophisticated they are (in spite of being
BOiotians) by praising Syracuse and its king Hieron. Pin
dar prays that Hieron's happiness may continue and that
he may welcome this celebratory revel when it arrives
from Arcadia (87-100). A concluding prayer exresses
the hope that both Stymphalians and Syracusans may
enjoy a gloriOUS destiny and that Poseidon will proVide a
safe voyage for the poem ( 101-105) .
101
6. ArHI AI TPAKOI nI
A II HNHI
A' Xvoo;moo-oo:-c;cv-
Tc:cno0v 0o\j:ov
x|o:o; o;OTE 0oy-o:,oo:
n{ocv d_o:ov ' j,ovnoonov
0j:cv -y\ov,;. c|' EL-
y ev`O\vj:na:|xo;,
5 [a -cj:o:-c|-o|o; A:o; cv H|q,
Ovvo:x:o-j -c-a: x\c:a: 2voxoo-
oa:, -|:oxcvv,o:j:vov
xE:o;d:, cn:xvoo:;
d0:a: do-v cv |c-o;do:o;;
o-o ,ocv-ov-nc|-
\o:j::a:n' ov
2ao--ov v|;. dx|:v:o: ' dc-o|
10 ov-cno'd:o::ov-'cv:ovoxo|\o:;
-|j::o: no\\oej:j::o:-
-o:, xo\o: EL -:no:o0j.
`A,yO|o, -v' ol:o;c-oo;, vcv|xq
102
I

6. FOR HAGES IAS OF SYRACUS E

WI NNER, MULE RACE, 472/468 B. C.
Lt us set up golden columns to support Str. 1
the strong-walled porch of our abode
and construct, as it were, a splendid
palace; for when a work is begun, it is necessary to make
its front shine from afar. If someone should be
an OlympiC victor,
and steward of the prophetic altar of Zeus at Pisa, 5
and fellow-founderl of famous Syracuse,
what hymn of praise could he escape,
a man such as that, if he finds his townsmen
ungrudging in the midst of delightful songs?
Let the son of Sostratos
2
be assured Ant. 1
that he has his blessed foot
in such a sandal. Achievements without risk
win no honor among men or on hollow ships, 10
but many remember
if a noble deed is accomplished with toil.
Hagesias, the praise stands ready for you
"Fellow-founder" is a poetic exaggeration. According to the
scholia Hagesias' Iamid ancestors settled Syracuse with Archias
(cf. Thuc. 6. 3. 2). 2 Hagesias.
103
P I NDAR
dco ,\eooo;'Ajoo-o;j:::O/x\c|-
ovno-' c;`Aj::yo:
0,{o-', cnci xo-o,o' ov-
-v-::vxoio:|j:o;innov;j:ocv.
15 cn-o' cc:-onva:vc-
xjov-c\co0v-ovTo\o:o:|o;
cnc:cvOj[o:o:-oav-v no;
"IJo0oo-oa;0o\j:ovcj:a;
dj:-covj:::-' d,o0o: xoi
ovij::oo0o:. -o xo|
dvi xej:ovcon-ncolvoxoo|.
ov-cvoy:;covov-' a::\v:xo;,o:,
20 xoi j:,ovxovj:ooo:;-ov- ,o: ooo;
j:oj-vooj:c\|0o,,o:' cn:-o: Moioo:.
B' a 4|:;, d\o cv{o:-
yj:o:o0:o;j:::o:,
-o;, ooxc\cv0-' cvxo0o
[ooj:cvoxov, ixoj:o|-c njo; d:a:
25 xoi,vo; xcvo:,oc{ d\-
\a:oov,cj:ovcvoo:
-ov-ov cn|o-ov-o:, o-c:ov;cv` O\vj:n|
ccci{o:-o -o|vv: nv\o; -
j:vov dvon:-vj:cv ov-o;
njo;II:-:o:OE noj' Eva-
-onovcoj:coic\0cv cvo
15 vEKP0'< Wilamowitz I TEAHyfwav Pauw
19 <,AOV'KO< Cobet: <,AOVHKO< codd.
lO4
OLYMPI AN 6
that Adrastos once justly proclaimed aloud
about the seer Amphiaraos, son of Oikles,
when the earth had swallowed up the man himself
and his shining steeds.
Afterwards, when the corpses of the seven funeral pyres Ep. 1
had been consumed,
1
Talaos' son2
spoke a word such as this at Thebes: 16
"I dearly miss the eye of my army,
good both as a seer and at fghting
with the spear." This is true as well
for the man from Syracuse who is master of the revel.
Though not quarrelsome nor one too fond of victory, yet
1shall swear a great oath and bear clear witness for him 20
that this at least is so; and the honey-voiced Muses will
assist.
LPhintis, 3 come yoke at once Str. 2
the strong mules for me,
as quickly as possible, so that we may drive our chariot
on a clear path and may come to his family's
very lineage, because those mules beyond all others 25
know how to lead the way
on that road, for they won crowns
at Olympia. Therefore we must throw open
for them the gates of song,
for today it is necessary to go to Pitana
by the course of the Eurotas in good time;
'These are apparently pyres for each of the seven contin
gents led by Adrastos against Thebes.
Adrastos. The driver of the mule team (schol. ).
105
PI NDAR
a -o:IIooc:a::j::-
0cooKo:|\,-o:
30 voo |c\oxovEv:o:-xv.
xjv co0:|o:a:ox\vo:;
xv|':yvivj:vo:o'
dj::v\ov;x\vov
]jo:vooo|::vj:vE|\o-|[jo;,
8, d:a:`Axa::ooo 4o:o-
:, \-' `A\ovo|xv
35 :0o-oo'vn' `Av\\a-
v:,\vx|o;cjo-ovovo' `Ao|-o;.
ov' \o0'Avv-ovcvvo:-
-ij: x\v-o:oo0eo,:ov.
d\\'0 j:vIJv0a:', v0vn:oo:;
\ov ov o-o:|j:\r,
-' |a:j:ov-vovo;-ov-
-o;vj' d-\-ovv0o;.
o o:v:xxjoxova:o:xo-o0yxoj:vo
40 x\n:-' d,vo: \j:o;vno xvovo;
-|x 0o:o xovov. -j:v0 jvooxj:o;
vovj:y-|:-' `E\|0v:o:coo-oov-Mo|o;
I \0v' vno oc\,:a:vn'a-
v;-' o-a;Ioj:o;
42
7apE(TacEv codd.: 7apE(ac' <v Peek
43 "8'vo. T' EpaTn. (T' om. A) codd.: "8ivE(' EpamL<
Wilamowitz
106
OLYMPI AN 6
she, l they say,
lay with Kronos' son Poseidon
and bore a daughter, Euadne of the violet hair.
But she hid her maidenly birth pain in the folds of her
robe,
and, when the appointed month came, sent her servants
with instructions
to give the child to the care of the hero, Elatos' son, 2
who ruled over the men of Arcadia at Phaisana
and had his allotted home on the Alpheos.
She was brought up there and in submission to Apollo
first experienced sweet Aphrodite.
Ant.
30
35
She could not conceal from Aipytos forever Ep.
that she was hiding the god's offspring.
But he went to Pytho, suppressing the unspeakable anger
in his heart with stem discipline,
to obtain an oracle concerning
that unbearable calamity.
She, though, laid down her crimson girdle
and silver pitcher under a dark thicket and began to bear 40
a divinely inspired boy. To aid her, the golden-haired
god3 sent gentle-counseling Eleithuia
4
and the Fates,
and from her womb amid the welcome Str.
birth pains lamos
Pitana, the city's eponymous nymph.
2 Aipytos.
3 Apollo.
*The goddess of childbirth (cf. Nem. 7.1-6).
107
PI NDAR
;o;ov-:xo. -ovj:evxv:oj:vo
45 \cncoj:o: voe,\ovxoc; ov-:
o::a:[ov\oo 0-
o:-oxo:-c;dj:cj:c
: j:c\mav xoj:c:o: [oo:\cv; 'nc:
cc-ooo; \ovvov lxc-' x Hv-
0a:o;,no:-o;vox
cjc-onoo, -ovEv-
:o-xo: 4o:[ov ,o ov-ova ,c,xc:v
50 no-;, nci 0:o-a:'oco0o:j:::n:0ov:o:;
oo:, ovno-'x\c:cv,c:c:.
;oj.vvc.-oi'ov-' :dxooo:
ov-' :c:cvov-oncj:c-o-
o:,c,cvyj:vov. d\\' v
xxjvn-o ,o oo:vo[oo-' vdnc::-o
55 ovo:0oo: xoinono;jo:;d-
.
,
x-o[c[jc,vo; [:
oaj:o -o xoixo-cj::-
cxo\co0o:voj: ovj:novj:-y
-ov-' ovvj:' d0:o:ov. -cj-
nva; 'ccci jvooo-cvo:o \[c:
xonov'

H[o;, `A\cj:oo xo[oi;

cx\cooc Hooc:a:'cvv[|o:,
54 {anq. Wilamowitz: {aTEiq. vett. : {aTiq recc.
108
OLYMPI AN 6
came immediately into the light. In her distress
she had to leave him on the ground, but two gray-eyed
serpents tended him through the gods' designs
and nourished him with the blameless
venom of bees. ` But when the king
arrived after driving from rock Pytho,
he questioned everyone in the house
about the child whom Euadne
bore, for Phoebus, he said, was his
45
father, and he would become foremost of mortals Ant.
as a seer for mankind, and his lineage would never fail. 51
Such did he declare to them, but they vowed
not to have seen or heard of him,
although it was the fifth day since his birth. But in fact,
he had been hidden in a bed of reeds within a vast thicket,
while his tender body was bathed 55
by the golden and purple rays
of violets. That was why his mother declared
that for all time he would be called
by that immortal name. 2 And when he had plucked Ep.
the fruit of delightful golden-crowned
Hebe, 3 he went down into the middle of the Alpheos
and called upon widely ruling Poseidon,
A kenning for "honey" (cf. Pyth. 6.54).
2 A play on o (violets) and "Iafo. The word i6 (47)
"venom" also plays on the name lamas.
3 Hebe is "Youth"; i.e. when he grew into a young man.
109
PI NDAR
vnj,o:o:, xo-o{oo:A-
\ov0coj:ro; oxonv,
60 o:ra: \oo-ov-:j:: r:v' c xco\,
vvxro;vno|0a;. dv-c0,{oro'dr:cn;
nor|ooooo,j:c-\\oo: r ::. ''`

Ojoo, rxvov,
cvjon,xo:ovc;oo:cv o; n:o0cv.
xovro' v\oon-
-o:d\|[oro:Ko:|ov
65 :0oo|onooc 0oovo: |vj:o:
j:ovroov:o;, rxoj:ev a:o: dxovc:v
cvov,:aro:, cvr' a:
e0oovj:o:o; c\0o:
'Hox\q;,ocvov0\o;`A\xo:a:, nor|
corvrcx-|op n\co-[jorovrc-
0j::rcj:,o-ov d0\a:,
70 Z:o; cn'dxo-r[a-
rr' ovo-jav0o0ox\cvocv.
c{ ov no\vx\c:rov xo0'E\-
\o:o;,vo;`Ioo:
o\[o;j.' concro -:j:ov-c; ' dcrs
c;o:co: oo: o:ro rcxj:o|c:
j

' cxoo-ov j:aj:o; c{ \-

\ovxj:oro0ovcvrov
75 ro;, ol;norcnjero;ncjoxoro:jj:ov
HO
OLYMPI AN 6
his grandfather, and upon the bow-wielding watcher
over god-built Delos,
and under the nighttime sky asked for himself some ofce 60
that would serve his people. The clear-speaking voice
of his father responded and sought him out: "Arise, my
son,
and follow my voice here to a land shared by all."
And so they came to the steep rock Str. 4
of Kronos' lofty hill,
where he gave him a twofold treasury 65
of prophecy, first to hear the voice
that knows no falsehood, and later, when bold
and resourceful Herakles,
the honored offspring of the Alkaidai, 1 should come
to found for his father2 a festival thronged by people
and the greatest institution of games,
then it was that he ordered him to establish his oracle 70
on the summit ofZeus' altar.
Since then has the race of the Iamidai been Ant . .
much renowned among Hellenes.
Prosperity attended them, and by esteeming virtuous
deeds
they travel along a conspicuous road; 3 everything they do
confirms this. But blame coming from
others who are envious hangs over
those who ever drive frst around the twelve-lap course 75
'Amphitryon, Herakles' titular father, was the son of
Alkaios. Zeus. 3 ef. OZ. 2.53-56 for wealth adored
with virtues as a light for man.
111
PI NDAR
c\ovvv-coo:vo:o|ono-:o-
{
)
X:;cvx\oo:.
c:' c-vo;Io Kv\\-
:o;oo;, `A,yo|o, j:-ac;vjc;
vo:c-ov-c;cejy-
oo:0ca:xvxo\:-o;0vo|o:;
no\\o no\\oo:v'Ej:a:cvoc[o;,
; d,a:o; c:j:ov-'d0\ov,
80 `Ajxo|o:-' cvvojo -:j:
xcvo;, a nolao--ov,
ovv[ov,ovno-ixo|:c:o0cvcv-v|o:.
{o: o -:v' cni,\eoo \:,va; dx:o;,
a j:'c0\ov-onoojnc: xo\\:jo:o:vvoo;.
j:o-oj:-ocj:ol-vj:o\|;,cvov0;Mc-eno,
L n\nno:C O[o:-:-
x-cv, -a;cjo-c:vova
86 n|oj:o:, d:o:: o:o-oo:n\xov
no:x|\ov:o:. o-jvvovvvvc-o|ov;,
77 opo< H: opot< codd.
8
2
ALyvpa< aKova< Bergk: aKova< Atyvpa< codd.
83
npoCEpnH vett. : npoCEAKOL L7/. npoCEAKH \7/_7/

Triclinius
112
OLYMPI AN 6
and on whom revered Charis sheds
a glorious appearance.
If truly the men on your mother's side, Hagesias,
who dwell beneath Mt. Kyllene, l
have regaled the herald of the gods
with prayerful sacrifices
again and again in pious fashion, Hermes,
who has charge of contests and the awarding of prizes
and who honors Arcadia's land of brave men,
he it is, Oson of Sostratos, who
with his loudly thundering father2 fulfills your success.
Upon my tongue I have the sensation of a clear-sounding
whetstone,
which I welcome as it comes over me with lovely streams
of breath.
3
My grandmother was Stymphalian, blooming Metope, 4
Ep. 4
80
who bore horse-driving Thebe, Str. 5
whose lovely water
I shall drink, as I weave for spearmen 86
my varied hymn. Now, Aineas, 5 urge your companions
' In Arcadia (cf. Il. 2. 603: uno KvHv'< opo<).
Zeus.
3 Pindar's tongue is sharpened to sing further, a bold
metaphor for poetic inspiration. In what follows, he discovers a
personal connection with his subject.
The eponymous nymph of Lake Metope near Stmphalos.
She married the Boiotian river Asopos and bore Thebe. the
eponymous nymph ofThebes.
The trainer of the chorus (schol. ).
113
PI NDAR
A|:o, njo-ove:Ho:
Ho0cv:ovxc\ooo:,
,:a:o|-' nc-',doo:ovco; d\o0o:v
90 \,o:;c/ cv,oc:, Bo:a-|o:v:.
cooi,o,,c\o;0;
vxovoxv-\oMo:-
oo:, ,\vxv;xo-gd,o0,x-ovdo:o:
c|o:ec:oo0o:lvo-
xoooo:T xoi`O-v,|o;
-ov'Ia: xo0ooxn- :nov,
o j:ycvo; o:v:xncov
95 dj:ncAj:o-o\cvx|n-
nov-c0v,o-o;co-:
xoiZyvo; A|:o|ovx-o;. v\o,o:v:v
\vo:o\no|T ,:vaoxov-:. j:g 0o-
oo:jvo; o\[ovcjnov,
ov:e:\ooov:o:; cv-
y-o:;'A,yo|o o:-o xoov
oxo0cvoxo' dno -v-
o\|a:-covnov:oj:cvov,
97 (pa((oL Boeckh, Schneidewin: (pmJ(oL codd.
' For the worship of Hera as Maiden in Stymphalos, see
Paus. 8.22.2. The Boiotians were considered dull and rus
tic (cf. fr 83), especially by the Athenians (cf. Plato Symp. 182B
and Plut. de esu carium 1. 6).
3 The (KvraAa was a Spartan message stick around which
writing material was wound, inscribed, and cut into a strip. Only
1 14
OLYMPI AN 6
first to celebrate
Hera the Maiden, '
and then to know ifby our truthful words
we escape the age-old taunt of "Boiotian pig," 2 90
for you are a true messenger,
a message stick3 of the fair-haired Muses,
a sweet mixing bowl ofloudly ringing songs.
Tell them to remember Syracuse Ant.
and Ortygia,
4
which Hieron administers with an unsullied scepter,
as he devises fitting counsels, and is devoted to
red-footed Demeter and the festival 95
of her daughter with the white horses, 5
and to powerful Zeus of Aitna.
6
Sweetly speaking
lyres and songs know him. May approaching time
not disrupt his happiness,
but with acts of lOVing friendship
may he welcome Hagesias' revel band
H it proceeds from one home to another, Ep.
leaving the walls of Stymphalos,
with a duplicate stick could the strip be correctly wound to reveal
the message.
Ortygia, a small island off the mainland, was the frst part of
Syracuse to be settled and remained its oldest quarter.
The worship of Demeter and Kore (Persephone) was
prominent in Syracuse. It is not known why Demeter should be
said to have a red foot; Hekate has the same epithet at Pae. 2.77,
while at Pyth. 9.9 Aphrodite is silver-footed.
Worship of Aitnaian Zeus was especially Signifcant for
Hieron because he had established the city of Aitna in 476/5. See
Pyth. 1, Introduction.
115
PI NDAR
100 or'cvg\o:o \c|vovr'`Axo|o;.
d,o0oien\ovr'cvc:c|
vvxri 0oas cx:oo;dncox|-
0o: v',xvo:. 0c;
rovcxc|:a:rcx\vro:oioo:voo::\a:.
onorovovrcov, cv0vven\o:xorov
cxro;cvro |o:, jvoo\oxro:ono:;
105 `A:r|-o;, cav ' vovc cvrcjne; :0o;.
116
OLYMPI AN 6
the mother city of fock-rich Arcadia.
On a stormy night it is good
for two anchors to have been cast
from a swift ship. May the god
lOvingly grant a glorious destiny for these and for them. 1
Lordly ruler of the sea, vouchsafe a direct voyage
that is free from hardship, and, husband of golden-
spindled
Amphitrite, cause my hymns' pleasing flower to burgeon.
' Stymphalians and Syracusans.
117
100
105
OLYMPI AN 7
Diagoras of Rhodes was probably the most famous
boxer in antiquity. He himself was a perodonikes (winner
at all four major games), while three of his sons and two
of his grandsons were Olympic victors. Their statues
stood in Olympia (Paus. 6. 7. 1-2). Pindar provides ex
tensive praise of the Rhodian traditions in a narrative
triptych in ring composition that proceeds i

rverse
chronological order, beginning with the colomzahon by
Tlapolemos, moving back to the institution of a freless
sacrifice to honor the newly born Athena, and concluding
with the birth of the island itself from the depths of the
sea as the favored land of Helios, the Sun god. These
three episodes are linked by the fact that in each case a
mistake resulted in benefits for the island and its people.
In an elaborate simile, Pindar compares his epinikian
poetry to the wine in a golden bowl with which a father
toasts his new son-in-law ( 1-10). After observing that
Charis ( Grace, Charm) favors many men with celebratory
song, Pindar announces that he has come to praise
Rhodes (the island's eponymous nymph), Diagoras for his
Olympic and Pythian boxing victories, and his father
Damagetos ( 11-19), and states that he will give a true
account of the Rhodians' ancestry from Herakles and
Amyntor (20-24) .
118
OLYMPI AN 7
The poet introduces the narrative panels with a
gnome: the minds of men are beset by countless mistakes
and one cannot know what will turn out best in the end
(24-26) . Tlapolemos slew his great-uncle Likymnios in
anger and was told by Apollo to sail to the island of
Rhodes where Zeus had sent down a snow of gold when
Athena was born from his head (27-38) . Helios enjoined
his children to set up a ritual sacrifice to win the new god
dess' favor, but they forgot to bring fre with them and so
had to make a fireless sacrifce. As a result of their devo
tion, however, Zeus rained gold upon them, and Athena
gave them unsurpassed artistic skill to produce lifelike
sculptures (39-53) .
Ancient tales relate that before Rhodes had appeared
from the sea, Helios was absent while the gods were
being allotted their lands and thus received no portion.
Zeus proposed recasting the lots, but Helios requested
Rhodes for his own when it should rise from the sea
(54-69) . When it did, Helios lay with the nymph Rhodes
and fathered seven wise sons, one of whom begot three
sons bearing the names of prominent Rhodian cities,
Kamiros, Ialysos, and Lindos (69-76).
The Rhodians continue to celebrate their founder
Tlapolemos with festivities and athletic contests, in which
Diagoras was twice victorious ( 77-81) . An impressive
catalog of his victories follows, culminating in the present
one at Olympia (81-90) . The poet praises the victor for
his upright conduct, and mentions his clan, the Eratidai,
and an ancestor Kallianax (90-94). The poem concludes
with a gnomic reminder of life's vicissitudes (94-95) .
119
7. I ArOp AI POH lI
IITKTHI
A' d:\o:a ci drc:o;dco c:oc\a:
rordj:c\ovxo\o:oor
agoc-o:
rcor|,o[ cjon|ror
oixo0croixoc,n,voo:, xovo:x-c:a:,
5 ovj:coo|ov-c :r xa-
-cj:oo:cr,cre|\ar
cocr-ar0xr:ro\a-oroo:ocv:a
xoic,orx-ojv-r,Mo:oaro:r, dc0\oo:
d:o:rnnor, ,\vxvrxonorjcr,
|\oxoj:o:,
10 `O\vj:n|Hv0o-cr:xer-
-coo:: o ' o\[a, raj:o:xo-or-' d,o0o|
\\o-c ' \\o: ccon-cv-
c: X: a0\j:a vj:c\c
5 iov codd.; v_ov Bergk
l
O KaTExwvT
r
22
120
7. FOR DIAGORAS OF RHODES
WINNER, BOXING, 464 B. C.
As when a man takes from his rich hand a bowll
foaming inside with dew of the vine
and presents it
to his young son-in-law with a toast from one home
to another-an all-golden bowl, crown of
possessions-
as he honors the joy of the symposium
and his own alliance, and thereby with his friends
present makes him envied for his harmonious marriage,
Str. 1
5
so I too, by sending the poured nectar, gift of the Muses Ant. 1
and sweet fruit of the mind, to men who win prizes,
gain the favor
of victors at Olympia and Pytho. 10
Fortunate is the man who is held in good repute.
Charis, who makes life blossom, looks with favor
now upon one man, now another, often with sweetly
'A phiale was a shallow bowl used for drinking and for pour
ing libations.
121
PI NDAR
0ooevjjt:,,:nojtevo:o|- ' cv v-co::
ov\a:.
xo|vvvv'do-ovovv
A:o,xo-[o:, -ovnov-|o:
vjtvovno' `Ao|-o;
`Ac\|o:-c vvo:, 'Po:,
15 cv0vjto:oonc\a:o::ono' `A\-
c:o-co:aocvov
o|:oanv,jta; no:vo
xonooKoo-o\| no-
-o-cAojt,y-o::-oA|x
`Ao|o;cvjvov-j|no\:::aoo:n\o;
c[\:o|o:-o;`A,c|ovvo|jt.
B' c0c\oa-oo:vcda;dno T\ono\jtov
21 v:o:d,,\a::o0aoo:\,o:,
'Hox\o;
cvo0cvc,vv.-ojtev,o
no-0cvcxA:o; cvov-o: -o '`Ajtv:-o|o:
o-0cv`Ao-vojtc|o;.
djt ' d:0anavoo:dc\ox|o:
25 dvodjt-o: xjtov-o: -ov-o ' do:o:cvjcv,
o -: vvv cv xo-c\cv- -o-o:d:-vcv.
xo,o `A\xjt:o; xoo|,:-ov :0o:
oxn-0cvev
122
OLYMPI AN 7
singing lyre and pipes, instruments of every voice.
And now, to the accompaniment of both,
I have disembarked with Diagoras, singing a hymn
to Rhodes of the sea, the child of Aphrodite
and bride of Helios,
so that Imay praise, in recompense for his boxing,
that straight-fighting man of prodigious power,
who won a crown by the Alpheos
and at Kastalia, l and may praise his father,
Damagetos, who is favored by Justice;
they dwell on the island with its three cities near
to the jutting coast of broad Asia among Argive spearmen.
I intend, in proclaiming my message, to set forth truly
for them from its origin, beginning with Tlapolemos,
the history they share as members of Herakles'
mighty race, for they claim descent from Zeus
on their father's side, while on their mother's
they are Amyntor's descendants through Astydameia. 2
But about the minds of humans hang
numberless errors, and it is impossible to discover
what now and also in the end is best to happen to a man.
Thus it is that the founder of this land 3
once struck
The spring at Delphi.
They trace their lineage to the marriage of Tlapolemos
( Herakles' son and Zeus' grandson) and Astydameia (Amyntor's
daughter). See genealogy of Tlapolemos in Appendix.
3 Tlapolemos (cf. Il. 2.653-670) .
123
Ep. 1
15
Str. 2
21
25
Ant. 2
PI NDAR
ox\ya; c\o|o; x-orcrT|-
v:0:A:xv.r:orc\0:-'cx0o\o.orM:o;
30 -aono-c0o:o;o/x:-
o-jo\o0c|;. o|ejcro-ooo|
non\o,o:xooo:. j:or-cvoo-o'c; 0cor
c\0o:.
- :e:0 vooxj:o;cv-
oco; c dv-ov:oa:n\o:
cnc Ac:o|o; dn' dx-a;
cv0vrc;dj::0o\oooo: :o::,
:0ono-e[jc0cor[oo:\cv; 0 :o;
voo:; r:ocoo: n\:r,
35 :|'' Ao|o-ov-ro:oo
o\xc\- nc\xc: co-
-o;`A0o:o|oxovo: xo-' xo:
d:oovoo:o' d\o\ocr bcjj:oxc:(oq.
Ovo:o;'j::oxoIoo:o-y.
r' --cxoovo|j:[o-o; o|j:o:'Tnc:o:|o;
40 .\\o:r-c:\crv\oo0o:o;
no:o: |\o:;,
33
dvv EYP, Boeckh: EvBvv' ACE: EvB"v' B: EvBvv et
EvB"v( at) vel EvBvv( E) schol.
Son of Alkmene's father Elektryon and his concubine
Midea (from a town in Argos of the same name) . See Appendix.
124
OLYMPI AN 7
Akmene's bastard brother Likymnios
with a staff of hard olive in Tiryns
when he came from Midea's
2
chambers and killed him
in a fit of anger. Disturbances of the mind
lead astray even a wise man. He went to the god3 for an
oracle,
and from the fragrant inner sanctum of his temple
the golden-haired god
told him to sail from the shore of Lema
straight to the seagirt pasture,
where once the great king of the gods4 showered
the city with snows of gold,
when, by the skills of Hephaistos
with the stroke of a bronze-forged axe, 5
Athena sprang forth on the top of her father's head
and shouted a prodigious battle cry,
and Heaven shuddered at her, and mother Earth.
At that time Hyperion's son,
6
divine bringer of light
to mortals, charged his dear children

to observe the obligation that was to come,

2 Either Likymnios' mother or the city near Tiryns, where
Elektryon was king (cf. OZ. 10.66). Homer (I. 2.661-63) gives
no reason for the killing; Diod. Sic. 4.58.7 reports that they were
quarreling; Apollod. 2.8.2 says that it was 8accident.
3 Apollo.
Zeus.
To allow Athena to emerge, Hephaistos struck Zeus' head
with an ae.
Helios.
The Heliadai, his children on Rhodes (cf. 71-76).
125
30
Ep. 2
35
Str. 3
40
PI NDAR
o;:0cnjo-o:x-|oo:cr
[oj:orc:o,o, xoioc:o:0vo|o:0:cro:
no-|-c0vor::o:-
crxj -'c,c[j:. cr' dc-r
[o\cr xoi o-' d:0eno:o: noo0o; o:o;
45 cci j:o:[o|:c-:xoi\0o;d-xoro;,
xoino\xcno,ro:0o:o:
{ojc:a:.
xoi-oi,oo:0o|oo;or-c;
onjj:' dr[o:\o,o; ov v{o: ' dnvo:;
|cjoi;
Xoo;rdxon\c. xc|-
ro:; 0 j:er{o:0o:d,o,a:rc\o:
50 noXvroocvo: ovroo:o:ronooc-:o:
nooo:cn:0o:|a:I\ovx-
oc:;d:o-onro:;co ixo-ci:.
,o e ooio:r cjcr-
oo| 0'ooiox\cv0o: or
:ex\o;[o0v.or-:e xoioo|o
j:c|(a: o\o; \0c.
4
9 KEivOL, o /EV Mingarelli: KEivOLCt /EV codd. I vEqiAav
By.: vEqEAav ZEV, vett.
Some editors personify the terms: Reverence, daughter of
Foresight. Of Lindos, where a temple to Athena stood, and
in which, according to a schol. , this ode, written in gold letters,
was dedicated. 3 Zeus.
126
OLYMPI AN 7
that they might be the frst to build for the goddess
an altar in full view, and by making
a sacred sacrifce might cheer the hearts of the father
and his daughter of the thundering spear. Reverence 1
for one who has foresight plants excellence and its joys in
humans,
but without warning some cloud of forgetfulness comes
upon them
and wrests the straight path of afairs
from their minds.
Thus it was that they made their ascent without taking
the seed of blazing fame, and with fireless sacrifices
they made a sanctuary on the acropolis. 2
He3 brought a yellow cloud and upon them
rained gold in abundance; but the Gray-eyed Goddess
Ant. 3
46
50
herself gave them every kind of skill to surpass mortals Ep. 3
with their superlative handiwork.
Their streets bore works of art in the likeness of beings
that lived and moved,
and great was their fame. When one is expert,
even native talent becomes greater. 4
4 I interpret this controversial sentence to mean that Athena
added skill (TExvav, 50) to their native talent, so that they com
bined natural wisdom (uoqia 080Ao,) and expertise (8aivTt) ; cf.
D. C. Young, American Joural ofPhilology 108 (1987) 152-157,
who aptly quotes Horace, Odes 4.4.33: dactrina sed vim pr-
movet insitam. Others translate it as "to the expert even greater
skill is free from guile" and see here a defense of the Telchines,
mythical inhabitants of Rhodes skilled in metal working (cf.
Diod. Sic. 5.55 and Strabo 14.2.7), against charges of wizardry.
127
PI NDAR
ov-' dv0joovno\o:o:
55 o, ovno, -c 0-
:o o-ov-oZcv;-cxod0:o-o:,
o:co:cvnc\,c:'Po:cvnov-:,
\j:vo;' cv[v0co:v :aoo: xcxjv0o:.
6' dncv-o;' ov-:;vc:cv\o;`Ac\:ov
xo:v:vao;dx\a-o:\:nov,
60 ,:o: 0cv.
voo0v-:eZcv;j:no\o:\-
\cv0cv. d\\ v:vovxcoocv cncno\:a;
cn-:v'ov-o;oa:v-
o:0o\ooo;ovoj:vovnc0cv
no\v[ooxov,oo:d:0eno:o: xocvjovoj:\o:;.
cx\cvocv' ov-:xovoj:nvxoevAco:v
65 cjo;dv-c:o:, 0cov ' jxov j:,ov
j:nojoj:cv,
d\\o K:ovov: no: :cvoo:,
ocvvov c;o|0jo v:vncj:0coo: c xco\
con:oo,jo;ooc-
o0o:. -c\cv0c:e \,a: xojvo:
cv d\o0c:nc-oioo: [\o-cj:evc\o;v,a;
70 :aoo; c:-v:vc:-
a:0 ,cv0\:o;dx-::avno-,
68 :0; B'PB L
1
| . :u:ooot eoee.
128
OLYMPI AN 7
The ancient reports of men
tell that when Zeus and the immortals
were apportioning the earth,
Rhodes had not yet appeared in the expanse of the sea,
but the island lay hidden in the salty depths.
Since he was absent, no one designated a lot for Helios,
and thus they left him with no portion ofland,
although he was a holy god.
And when he spoke of it, Zeus was about to recast
the lots for him, but he would not allow it, because
he said that he himself could see a land
rising from the floor of the gray sea
that would be bountiful for men and favorable for flocks.
He immediately ordered Lachesis of the golden
headband
to raise her hands and not to forswear
the mighty oath of the gods,
but to consent with Kronos' son
that once it had arisen into the bright air
it would henceforth remain a possession ofhonor
for himself. The essential points of these words
fell in with truth and were fulfilled. The island grew
from the watery sea and belongs to the father
who engenders the piercing sunbeams,
129
55
Str. 4
60
Ant.
65
Ep. -
PI NDAR
nvj nvcv-ovdo;nnov
v0o'P no-e:0c;-xcv
cn-oooe-o-o:oo-' cn njo-jov
d:a: nooco:ov;
coo;, :c; ev K:o:
nco[v-o-: -c`I\v-
oo: -cxcvA|:o:-' dc-c0c' ov,
75 :o ,o:o: -|oooocvo:no-a|o:,
do-a:o:o:, xx\j:-o:o:: co:.
E' -0:\v-jovovoc o/x-a;,\vxvT\ono\
o-o-o: T:v:0|a: do,-
oonc 0c,
80 \a: -c xv:ocooo nono
xoi x|o:; d' d0\o:;.-ov :0co: A:o,o;
co-co:aoo-o |,, x\c:-
:-' cv`Io0-c-x:;c-vov,
Nc-' \o:cn' \\ xoxo:ooi;cv`A0:o:;.
o -' cvA,c:o\xo;,:av::, - -' cv`Axo|
,oxoO[o:;, d,a:;-' vvoo:
85 Bo:o-|a:,
IJ\o:-'A,::-c v:xov0'
cx:; cvMc,o:o|:-' ovc-cjov\:0|:o
74 EXOV A: EXOVTL (: ExoVTa B
76 !,oipa< Meineke
86 1AAaVa T' a,ywa T A(C)OLH: 1AAav' T' alyiv' T
(N)BEG: IEAAava T' Alyiv' T Boeckh
130

OLYMPI AN 7
the master of the fre-breathing horses.
There at a later time he lay with Rhodes and fathered
seven sons who inherited the wisest thoughts
among men of old,
one of whom sired Kamiros,
and Ialysos the eldest,
and Lindos. They divided
their inherited land into three parts and separately held
their allotment of cities, places that still bear their
names. l
71
75
There, in sweet recompense for the lamentable mishap, Str. 5
is established for Tlapolemos, the Tirynthians' colony-
founder,
as if for a god,
a procession of rich sacrificial focks and the judging 80
of athletic contests, with whose flowers Diagoras
has twice crowned himself. Four times did he succeed
at the famous Isthmos,
and time after time at Nemea and in rocky Athens.
The bronze2 in Argos came to know him, as did the works Ant,
of art3 in Arcadia and Thebes, and the duly ordered
games
of the Boiotians 85
and Pellana; and Aigina knew him victorious
si times, while in Megara the record in stone
The three main cities on Rhodes (er Tpi1OAW, 18),
A shield given as prize,
Probably tripods.
131
PI NDAR
oo;c:\,o:. d\'e
Zcvn-c, ve-o:o`A-o[v|ov
cov, -|ocvj:vov-c0j:ov`O\vj:n:o:|xov,
vjo-cnv{dc-:cu
jv-o, |o:-o:o|o|o: ::
90 xoi no-' do-a: xoi no-i {c|-
:ov cnci[:o; c0o: o:
cv0vnojci, oooci; o -c o:no-jov
0oi jvc;c{d,o0a:
jcov. j: xjvn-c xo:vv
onjj:'dno Ko\\:vox-o;
`Eoo:-o:vo|-coo:v c:
0o\|o;xoin\:; cvcj::j:o|j:ov
95 \\o-' d\\oio: :o:0vooo:o:voo:.
92 'xpeov A: 'xpaov a
132
I
I
li
i
!I:
'
OLYMPI AN 7
tells no other tale. But, O
father Zeus, you who rule Atabyrion's l
slopes, honor the hymn ordained for an Olympic victory
and the man who has won success at boxing, Ep. 5
and grant him respectful favor
from both townsmen and foreigners, 90
for he travels straight down a road
that abhors insolence, having clearly leared
what an upright mind inherited from noble forebears
declared to him. Keep not in obscurity the lineage
they share from the time of Kallianax,
2
for at the celebrations of the Eratidai
the city too holds festivals. But in a Single portion of time
the winds shift rapidly now here, now there. 95
The highest mountain on Rhodes, on which was a temple of
Zeus (cf. Strabo 10.454 and 14.655).
A forebear of Diagoras (schol. ).
133
OLYMPIAN 8
This is the one Olympian ode to a victor from Aigina,
the island city for which Pindar composed more odes than
for any other place. Alkimedon, a member of the Blep
siad clan, won the boys' wrestling, probably in 460. Aig
ina boasted a rich mythological tradition associated with
Aiakos and his sons (see genealogy of Aiakos in
Appendix), four generations of whom were involved with
Troy. Aiakos helped build its wall, Telamon was the frst
to sack it, Achilles and Aias (Ajax) attacked it a second
time, and Neoptolemos ultimately destroyed it. Pindar
perhaps intends us to see a similar pattern in Alkimedon's
family that culminates in his Olympic victory.
Zeus, the patron god of the clan, figures prominently
in the ode (3, 16, 21, 43, and 83). Because of the invoca
tion of Olympia, many commentators have supposed that
the ode was composed immediately after the victory and
performed at Olympia, but the words "this island" (25)
and "here" (51) indicate that it was performed on Aigina.
The praise of Melesias is the most extensive tribute to a
trainer in the odes.
Pindar invokes Olympia as the site of divination for
aspiring athletes and requests that she welcome the pre
sent victory celebration (1-11) . A summary priamel
sketches the variety of human successes and Singles out
134

OLYMPI AN 8
Timosthenes (presumably the victor's brother) f

r hs vic
tory at Nemea and Alkimedon for is Olym

lc VictOry
( 12-20) . Aigina is then praised for Its worship of Zeus
Xenios, its fair dealing, and its hospitality to foreigners
since the time of Aiakos (21-30) . Poseidon and Apollo
summoned Aiakos to help build Troy's wall because the
city was destined to fall at the place where a mortal had
constructed the defense. When the wall was finished, two
snakes failed to scale it, but a third succeeded. Apollo
interpreted the omen to mean that Troy ,oul be
.
taken
by the first and fourth generations of Aiakos children
(31-46) . Thereupon, Apollo went to the land
.

f the
Hyperboreans and Poseidon brought Aiakos to Algma on
his way to his Corinthian festival (46-52) .
After observing that no one thing can please everyone,
Pindar nonetheless expects that his forthcoming praise of
Melesias will give no offense, because the trainer himself
had won a Nemean victory as a boy and another as a man
in the pancratium (53-59) . He praises Melesias for his
experience and skill as a teacher and d

clares
.
that
Alkimedon has gained for him his thirtieth victory m the
major games; moreover, Alkimedon won the hard way,
having to defeat four successive opponents (59-69) . In so
doing, he has cheered his aged grandfather and brought
the Blepsiadai their sixth major victory ( 70-76). The
boy's achievement also brings joy to his
.
dead father,
Iphion, who, although in Haes, heas his name pro
claimed and informs his relatIve Kalhmachos ( 77-84).
The poem ends with prayers for Zeus to continue his
bounty to the family and their city (84-88).
135
8, AAKI MEONTI AI rI NHTHI
II AI I II AAAI !THI
A Min J vooo-c:a:d0\a:, Ov\vn|o,
ono:v' d\o0c|o;, l:o v-:c; vc;
c~o:;-cxo:cvo:noonc:ov-
-o::o; d,:xcov:ov,
c -:v' c: \,o:d:0enavn:
5 o:ova:c,\o:
dc-a:0v\ofc::,
-ovDE 0a:dn:o:
vc-o:DE njo;:vcvoc[|o;d:a:\:-oi;
d\\'J H|oo;cvco:cn'`A\c\oo;,
10 -vcxoov xoo-co:oo|o:-
o:,o-o:x\o;o/c|,
-:v:oo:,o;conc-' d,\o:.
\\o ' cn' \\o:[o:
d,o0o:, no\\o ' oo|
ov:0co;cvno,|o;.
136

I
8, FOR ALKI MEDON OF AI GI NA
WINNER, BOYS' WRESTLI NG, 460 B. C.
Lmother of the golden-crowned games, Olympia,
mistress of truth, where men who are seers
examine burt offerings and test
Zeus of the bright thunderbolt,
to see if he has any word concerning mortals
who are striving in their hearts
to gain a great success
and respite from their toils;
but men's prayers are fulfilled in retur for piety.
Lsanctuary of Pisa with beautiful trees on the Alpheos,
receive this revel band and its wearing of crowns;
for great fame is always his
whom your illustrious prize attends.
To different men come different
blessings, and many are the paths
to god-given success.
Timosthenes, l destiny allotted your family
Alkimedon's brother (schol. ). Zeus is patron of both the
OlympiC and Nemean games.
137
Str. ]
5
Ant.
10
Ep.
20
B'
25
PI NDAR
Z7Vt YEVE(Aic' 0< UE fEv NEfEC 7pO<WrOv,
'AAKLfEOOVTa oE 7ap Kpovov AO<C
(iKEV 'OAvf7LoviKav.
v 0' EU"OpaV KaAO<, EPY
C
T' OV KaTa Eioo< EAEYWV
EtEVE7E KpaTEWV
mLAC OOALPETfOV ALywav mLTpaV'
EV(a m;THpa LuJ< tEviov
mLpEOpO< aUKELTaL 8EfL<
s ( 7 ^7 A

o

av PU7WV. U n
,
Yaf 7OAV Kat 7OAAq PE7T'
op(C OLaKPLVHV <PEVL f7 7apa KaLpov
OVU7aAE<' TE(f0< OE n< a(avaTWV Kat
TavO' UALEpKEa xwpav
7aVTOOa7OLUw IEUTaUE tEVOL<
Kiova oaLfoviav-
6 0' E7avTEAAwv Xpovo<
TOVTO 7paU"U"wv f KafOL-
30 LQPLEL Aai TafLEvOfEVaV Et AlaKov'
TOV 7aL< 6 AaTov< EVP1fEOWV TE IoUHoav,
, l :< I'V N'I'q Boeckh: 0< (om. Aa cum schol., BCa)
<' I V V N'I q codd.
23
P7Y Bergk: P7O' codd.
24
8WKpivHV a: 8wKp'va, A
138
I
OLYMPI AN 8
to Zeus, its progenitor, who made you famous at Nemea,
but by the hill of Kronos made Alkimedon
Olympic victor.
He was beautiful to behold, in action he did not discredit
his looks, and by winning in the wrestling match
he proclaimed long-oared Aigina as his fatherland,
where Themis, the saving goddess
enthroned beside Zeus, respecter of strangers, is
venerated
16
20
most among men, for when much hangs in the balance Str. 2
with many ways to go,
deciding with correct judgment while avoiding
impropriety
is a difcult problem to wrestle with. 2 But some 25
ordinance
of the immortal gods has set up this seagirt land
for foreigners from all places
H a divine pillar-
and may time to come not tire
of accomplishing this-
a land governed by
3
Dorian people from the time of Ant.
Aiakos,
whom Leto's son4 and wide-ruling Poseidon, 31
1 Themis, the goddess of universal right and mother of the
Horai, is honored so highly because as a great commercial state
Aigina must rely on fair dealing with many foreigners (7avTo8a-
7o'aw gVOL, 26: cf ^to; g,viov, 21).
2 The word 8V<7aA< puns on the victor's event (7Aq, 20);
cf. also aVTi7aAov at 71.
3 Or held in trst for. *Apollo.
139
PI NDAR
`I\|\\ov-c;cnio-ovov-cv-
{o:, xo\oo:-o ovvcj,v
-c|co;, von v:vncnjovov
vvj:vovno\ov
35 n-o\:n0o:;cvj:o:;
\[o:dj:nvcvoo:xonv:.
,\ovxoi e xo:-c;, cncix-|o0y vov,
nv,o: coo\\j:c:o: -jc;, o|voj:ev xnc-ov,
om:' d-vj:cvo:vos[\o:,
40 c; 'cvjovoc[ooo:;.
vvcnc' dv-|o:oj:o|:a:-o;cv0v;`An\\a:
"IJ,oj:o;dj:i-coi;,
a;, cjo;c,oo|o:;\|oxc-o:
;cj:oioj:o\,c:Ko:|o
ncj:0ev[ov,ovnovA:;
I ovx-cno|a:o0cv,d\\'j:o nje-o:;{c-o:
46 xoi-c--o:;. ; o 0co;oocino:;
:0o:nc:,cvxoi`Aj:o:o;cv|n-
nov;xoi c;'Io-o: c\ov:a:.
`Ooo-|ooo' cn' `Io0j:nov-|
3
9 aT<ofivw C, v.l. in v
40 EVOPOV(E Christ: aVOpOV(E B(schol. ) : OPOVlE A: bTO
POV(E . Ea-OPOV(E reil.
45 apETat codd.: paETat Gildersleeve, Wilamowitz
4
6 TETpaTOt< (TETapTOt< E) codd.: TEpTaTOt< Ahrens ' pa
Schroeder: apa codd.
140

OLYMPI AN 8
U they were preparing to crown Ilion with battlements,
summoned to help build
the wall, because the city was destined
at the outbreak of wars
in city-sacking battles
to breathe forth ravening smoke.
And when the wall was freshly built, three blue-gray
snakes tried to jump upon the rampart: two fell down
and, stricken by terror, gave up their lives on the spot,
but one leapt in with a shout of triumph.
Apollo considered the adverse omen and immediately
said:
"Pergamos is to be captured,
hero, at the site of your handiwork-
thus does the vision sent by the son of Kronos,
loudly thundering Zeus, inform me-
not without your children; but it will begin with the first
ones
and also with the fourth. "l Upon speaking these clear
words,
the god sped his team to Xanthos, to the Amazons
of the fine horses, and to the Ister.
But the Wielder of the Trident drove his swift chariot
'Aiakos' son Telamon took Troy in the frst generation (after
Aiakos), while Neoptolemos and Epeios (who devised the Trojan
horse) destroyed it in the fourth (now counting Aiakos as the
frst). Cf. I8th. 5. 35-38. Ahrens' emendation to TEpTaTOt< (an
unattested Aeolic form for TptTaTOL "third") has no support
from the scholia.
141
35
Ep. 2
40
Str. 3
46
jco 0ooi-ivci,
50 d~o~~oi A|oxi
PI NDAR
cvj' di' i~~o:;jvoo:;
xo Ko::0ov c:' c~ocio;o:-:x\v-i.
-cj~ioi'cidi0e~o:siooiooc-o: ovi.
c|'c,oMc\o:oc{d,cic|ai
xvo;dijojcoii,
55 jc[o\-ojcc \|0-oc:0io;
xo N cjc ,ooa;
cjo-ov-oi:i,
-oi' ~c:-'diaio;
cx~o,xjo-|ov. -o :{oo0o: -o:
60 |-:-cjoi ,iaoi e-o jc ~jojco0cii
xov-cjo:,o d~c:-oi jic;.
xciio exciio;ici~o:
j,o ~co|-cjoi\\oi,-;-j~o;io~o[o:
c{ |cjor d0\oi
jc\\oi-o~o0c:io--oi{oijc:i.
65 ivieiov-,jo;`A\x:oi
i|xoi-j:oxoo-oic\ei
; -v jceio|oio;, dioo;' ovxdjc~\oxai
cr--joo:i~o|aid~c0xo-o,v|o:;
5
2
OatnKAVT<V Bergk: OaLTa KAVTUV codd.
5
4
fEArWiq A(sed non A
l
)B(et scho!. ): fEArWia reil.
58 fuXa< Schroeder: fuXav codd.
142
OLYMPI AN 8
to the Isthmos on the sea,
as he escorted Aiakos
here with his golden horses
on his way to visit the ridge of Corinth famed for festivals.
Nothing will be equally pleasing among men.
But if I have recounted in my hymn Melesias' glory
gained from beardless youths,
let no ill will cast a rough stone at me,
because I will likewise declare
a glory of this sort
1
at Nemea too,
and the one gained thereafter in the men's bouts
of the pancratium. Truly teaching is easier for one
who knows, and it is foolish not to have learned in
advance,
for less weighty are the minds of men without experience.
But he, beyond all others, could tell
of such feats and what maneuver will advance a man
who from the sacred games
is bent upon winning the fame he most desires.
At this point his prize is Alkimedon,
who has won for him his thirtieth victory-
who, with divine favor, but also by not failing his
manhood,
put away from himself onto four boys' bodies
1 Like that of Alkimedon in boys' wrestling.
143
50
Ant.
55
Ep. 3
60
65
Str. 4
PI NDAR
ro-or0:o-orxoid-:o-or,\ao-
oo:xoicn|xjvoroor,
70 vo-i evo-o;crnrcvocrjc:o;
,oo; dr-|no\o:
`A|o-o:\0c-o:
cron{o:; d:.
d\' ce:ooov:o:drc,c|or-ooo:
75 c:joro-o:B\cj:o:;cn|r:xor,
cx-o;oi;o-o:o;nc|xc:-o:
v\oa: dn' d,a:a:.
o-:exo|-: 0o::-coo:ro;
xorrjco:cora:
xo-oxvv-c: ' ov xr:;
80 ov,,:a:xcroro.
'Ejca e0v,o-o;dxovoo:;`I|a:
`A,,c\|o;, crno:xcr Ko\: \:no:
xojcor`O\vn|
)
, oro:Zcv;,rc:
o~oocr. co\o 'cv' co\o;
85 ,o 0\o: j:cr, {c|o; e:oov; dno\\o:.
cvoo:dixo\a:
o|rco:r:[ov\o: 0cr
d\\'dno:-o:,a:[|o-or
ov-ov;-'d{o: xoin\:r.
78 p80/LEVWV E. Schmid: p86/LEVOV codd.
1
For another example of a wrestler defeating four successive
144
I
OLYMPI AN 8
a most hateful homecoming, words less respectful,
and a hidden path,
1
but into his father's father he breathed courage 70
to wrestle against old age.
Truly, a man forgets about Hades
when he has done ftting things.
But Imust awaken memory to announce Ant.
the foremost victories won by the hands of the Blepsiadai, 75
whose sixth garland now wreathes them,
won from the games that award crowns ofleaves.
2
And for those who have died there is also some share
in ritual observances,
nor does the dust bury
the cherished glory of kinsmen. 80
When Iphion
3 hears the report from Hermes' daughter Ep. 4
Angelia,4 he could tell Kallimachos of the shining
adornment at Olympia that Zeus granted
to their family. May he5
willingly provide
success upon success and ward off painful diseases. 85
Ipray that in their allotment of blessings
he not make the apportionment dubious,
6
but rather grant them a lifetime free from pain,
and exalt them and their city.
opponents with similar details of the losers' ingloriOUS retur
home, see Pyth. 8.81-87. The four crown games.
3 Iphion is probably the father, Kallimachos the uncle, of
Alkimedon (most schol. ). 4 The personifcation of Report.
Hermes is the god of heralds and messengers. Zeus.
The scholia interpret VE/LEa'W 8Lx6(0VAOV to mean "hostile
resentment"; many editors capitalize: "Nemesis of divided
mind."
145
OLYMPI AN 9
Opous was a city of the Eastern Lokrians, located
north of Boiotia, whose early history Pindar briefly
sketches in the poem. By winning this Olympic victory in
468 (confrmed by P. Oxy. 222), Epharmostos became a
perodonikes (victor in all four crown games).
The ode opens with a contrast between the sponta
neous chant of Archilochos (a sort of "Hail to the Con
quering Hero") , sung by Epharmostos' friends at
Olympia, and the more studied composition of the pre
sent ode, inspired by the Muses, with its extensive praise
of the victor and of his city Opous for its orderly life and
its athletic successes at Delphi and Olympia ( 1-20) . The
poet hopes to proclaim the Opuntians' achievement with
the aid of the Graces (20-27). The maxim that bravery
and wisdom are divinely granted is illustrated by the
example of Herakles, who held his own while fghting
against three gods (28-35). But suddenly the poet rejects
that story as boastfully disparaging of the gods and pro
poses as his theme the city of Protogeneia (Opous), first
settled by Pyrrha and Deukalion, who came down from
Mt. Parnassos and created a race of people from stones
(35-46).
Implying that he is treating an old theme in a new song
(47-49), Pindar begins with an account of the great flood
146
I

I

OLYMPI AN 9
and the establishment of a dynasty of native kings, which
continued until Zeus impregnated the daughter of Opous
of Elis and gave her as a bride to Lokros, the childless
kng of the Lokrian city (49-62), who named his adopted
son Opous for the child's maternal granfather
.
ad
handed the city over to him. His outstandmg qualIhes
attracted many immigrants, foremost of whom was
enoitios, whose son, Patroklos, stood by Achilles against
the onslaught of Telephos (63-79).
.
After a brief prayer for inspiration (80-83), Pmdar
catalogs Epharmostos' earlier victories, Singling out his
remarkable triumph in the games at Marathon, when he
was taken from the class for youths ("beardless") and
made to compete against grown men. To the deligt of
the crowd, he won without losing a fall (83-99). Pmdar
concludes that natural abilities are better and more
praiseworthy than learned ones that lack a divine compo
nent ( 100-107). Accordingly, he rejects the long and
arduous ways of art in favor of a simple vaunt, declaring
that Epharmostos has been favored by divine help ad
natural talent. The poem ends with an address to Alas
(Ajax), son of Ileus, a local hero, on whose altar the victor
is placing his crown ( 107-112).
147
9, E<APMOTlI OII OTNTI lI
IIAAAI THI
A' Toi`Aj:\ovc\o;
oiocr`O\v~|,
xo\\|::xo; 0 rj:~\o; xc\oa;,
xcocK::o:~o' 0or,coicvoo:
xa{oir: |\o:;`Eoor ov: c|o:;
5 d\o :vicxo[\ar Mo:oor d~o r{or
A|orc o:r:xoorc~oioc:: r'cc|:c:o:
dxor:or' A\:o;
ro:oioc[c\coo:r,
rog~orc Avo; ]a;IJc\o:j
10 c{oro x\\:oro:cro:'I~cooc|o;
~rccrro'ic:,\vxvi
IJv0ar' :or: ov-
ro:oo:~crco:\,aicco:,
dio;d ~o\o|ooo:r j:,,' c\c\|(oi
8 (EAHr(c), v.!. in v: pEAEc(a),(v) reIl.
` The victory chant attributed to Archilochos (fr 324 West)
contained a refrain addressed to the victor. probably repeated
three times, of TrvEAAa KaAAiv'KE, in which the frst word imi-
148

9. FOR EPHARMOSTOS OF OPOUS

WI NNER, WRESTLI NG, 468 B. C.
The song of Archilochos
resounding at Olympia,
that triumphal hymn swelling with three refrains,
1
sufced for Epharmostos to lead the way by Kronos' hill
U he celebrated with his close companions,
but now, from the far-shooting bows of the M uses
shoot a volley of arrows such as these
at Zeus of the red lightning
and at the sacred hilltop of Elis, 2
which Pelops, the Lydian hero, once won
U the fairest dowry of Hippodameia; 3
and cast a sweet winged
arrow at Pytho. 4
You will surely take up no words that fall to the ground,
while making the lyre vibrate in honor of the wrestling
tated the sound of a lyre string. The song continued wmXaiPE
ava( 'HpaKAEL" | aUTO, TE KaloAao" alXP-YTC oo, "Hail, lord
Heraldes, you and Iolaos, a pair of warriors."
2 The hill of Kronos at Olympia in the district of Elis.
L!01. 1. 67-88. ` This indicates that Epharmostos had
previously won at the Pythian games in Delphi, where the
Kastalian spring was located.
149
Str. 1
5
10
Ant.
PI NDAR
x\coo;c`Oncv-o; o|:oo:;E xoiv|:,
15 o:O:;0v,ry-o|oe-c:,o\\o,cv
j:c,o\oo;Evvoj:|o. 0\\c: ' dc-ooo
ov-c, Koo-o\|o, no
`A\c -c[c0o:
o0cvorc:a:o-o:x\v-:
20 Aox,ovcnoc|ov-:j:o-,' d,\ocvov.
c,oro:|\o:n\:v
j:o\c,o;cn:\,ovdo:o;
xoi d,:oo; innov
0oooo: xoi :oo; von-ov novr
25 d,,c\|o:nj:o-ovrov,
c|ovvr:v:j:o:,:| no\j:
co|crov Xo|rov vj:oj:o:xono:
xcvo:,onooov-o-,nv' d,o0oi
e xoioooixoroo|ov' :c;
B 1 c,:o:r' cni d:r|o:
30 no; v-,:ov-o;'H-
ox\y; oxvro\o: -|:occ,o|:,
o:|x' di Hv\o: oro0ci; ,c:c Hooc::,
,c:cvv:vd,v-no\c|(a:
do[o; ov' `A|o; dx:v-ovcc[o:,
[,rcooej:o0' xor,c:xo|\o:n,o;,v:o:
16-17 apfmiu <O" Tf Bergk: apfmie <O" rf ('<O" rf)
Na: ap<raiu et rf A (1apa Tf ro <O" scho!.)
32
8E Hermann: rE codd.
150
I

OLYMPI AN 9
of a man from famous Opous. Praise the son
1
and his city,
which Themis and her glorious daughter, saving Order,
2 15
have as their allotment. It flourishes with achievements
by your stream, Kastalia,
and that of Alpheos;
the choicest of crowns won there exalt
the Lokrians' famous mother city with its splendid trees. 20
But as for me, while I light up that dear city Ep.
with my blazing songs,
more swiftly than either a high-spirited horse
or a winged ship
I shall send this announcement everywhere, 25
if with the help of some skill granted by destiny
I cultivate the choice garden of the Graces,
for it is they who bestow what is delightful. But men
become brave and wise as divinity
determines: for how else Str.
could Herakles have brandished 30
his club in his hands against the trident,
when Poseidon stood before Pylos and pressed him hard
3
and Phoebus pressed him while battling with his
silver bow, nor did Hades keep still his staff, with which
he leads down to his hollow abode the mortal bodies
' Epharmostos. 2 Eunomia, one of the Horai, the daugh-
ters of Themis (cf. OZ. 13.6-8). According to the scholia
Herakles fought Poseidon at Pylos because Poseidon's son
Neleus would not purge him of blood gUilt; he fought against
Apollo after stealing a tripod from Delphi. The third encounter
appears to be based on I. 5.395-397, which alludes to Herakles'
wounding of Hades with an arrow at Pylos.
151
PI NDAR
35 0voxv-ov, dn j:o: \,ov
-ov-ov, o-j:o, [iov
cnci-,c\o:ooo:0co;
c0ooo|o, xoi-o xovoo0o:nooxo::
o:|o:o:vvnoxxc.
40 j: :v:\o\,c:-o -o:-
ov-' con\cj:ovj:o:-cnooo:
o,i; d0o:-a: ,o:;eIIa-o,cve|o;
o-c,\aooo:, iv' o/o\o[v-o A:o; oio
IIvoAcvxo\|a:-eIIo:oooov xo-o[:-c
j:ovc0cv-o n,o-ov, -c ' cv:o; oj:oj:o:
45 x-:ooo0o:\|0oo:,:o:
\ooi ' :vj:oo0cv.
c,c,' cnov o:voj:ov\:,vv,
oivc: eno\o:o: j:ev o:o:, v0co 'j:vov
vco-ov. \,ov-:v
50 0:oj:ev xo-ox\voo:j:\o::o:
o-o;o0vo; d\\
Zvo;-:o:;dvno-:vc{o|:o;
v-\o:c\civ xc|:a: ' coo:
o\xon:c;vj:-c,o:n,,ovo:
55 do0cv, `Ionc-:o:|o; v-\o;
xov,o: xoo:xoic--a:Ko::o:,
c,e,a:[oo:\ c;o/c|,
42 aiaAafpvra coni. Snell e Pae. 12. 9
152
OLYMPI AN 9
of those who die? But cast that story
away from me, my mouth!
for reviling the gods
is a hateful skill, and boasting inappropriately
sounds a note of madness.
Stop babbling of such things now!
Keep war and all fighting
clear of the immortals; apply your speech to Protogeneia's
city, 1 where, by decree ofZeus of the bright thunderbolt,
Pyrrha and Deukalion came down from Parnassos
and first established their home, and, without coupling,
founded one folk, an offspring of stone:
and they were called people. 2
Awaken for them a clear-sounding path of words;
praise wine that is old, but the blooms of hymns
that are newer. Indeed they tell that
mighty waters had flooded over
the dark earth, but,
through Zeus' contriving, an ebb tide suddenly
drained the floodwater. From them 3
came
your ancestors of the bronze shields
in the beginning, sons from the daughters of Iapetos'
race 4 and from the mightiest sons of Kronos,
being always a native line of kings,
l Opous. 2 A play on Ai, (stones) and Aaai (people); cf.
Res. fr 234 M -VAfter the food, Pyrrha and Deukalion brought
a new race into being by throwing stones behind them.
Pyrrha and Deukalion; perhaps also the Lokrian ancestors.
4 Iapetos the Titan was Deukalion's grandfather. See geneal
ogy of Protogeneia.
153
35
Ant.
40
45
Ep. 2
50
55
PI NDAR
r' n,v`O\na;o,c:ev
0v,or'dno,o;`Enc-
ov`Oncvro;dvooo:;,cxo\o;
::0yMo:vo\:o:o:vcvc:oi;, xocvcxcv
60 Aox,, : xo0\o: v:v o|a: nrj:ov co:;
,o:o:,c:co; . ccv eono,:orov
\oo;, cv:0y rc |a:a; 0crovv:v,
:r,oo;' cx\coocv:v
|oa:vovc:cv,
65 v,oro::oo,rc xo:
c,,o:o:. n\:v ' noocv\o:rc:o:ro:.
d:xovroo:{:o:
cxr''A,co;cxrcOy-
[o:, o:' `Axc;, o:exoH:oo:
v:ov' 'Axro,o;c{a;r::oocvcno:xa:
70 A|,::o;rc Mcvo:rav rov noi;:'`Arc:o:;
Tcv0o:ro;nc:ovo\ovcoov:`A:\\ci
:vo;, r' d\xcv;Ao:oov;ro:; o\:o:o::
nv:o:;T-j\co; cj:[o\c:
oor'c,ov:ci{o:
75 :o0civHorx\ov[:ora::o:
c{ovOr:o;t,:o;ov\:v:vcv'Ac
noo,ociro:norc
ocro;rc0cro{ao0o:
76
yovo, codd. :

m; Bothe:

EPVO, Turyn: 1w>o, Post:

eg O{TE ovo; 8ETW, Theiler
154
OLYMPI AN 9
until the lord of Olympos Str. 3
carried off the daughter of Opous
from the land of the Epeians
1
and quietly
lay with her in the Mainalian glens, 2 and brought her
to Lokros, lest time destroy him and impose a destiny 60
with no children. But his spouse was bearing the greatest
seed, and the hero rejoiced to see his adopted son;
he called him by the same name
as the mother's father, 3
and he became a man beyond description for his beauty 65
and deeds. And he gave him his city and people to govern.
Foreigners came to him Ant. 3
from Argos and from Thebes;
others were Arcadians and still others Pisans;
but of the settlers he honored most the son of Aktor
and Aigina, Menoitios, whose child4 went with the 70
Atreidai
to the plain of Teuthras
5
and stood by Achilles
all alone, when Telephos routed the valiant Danaans
and attacked their seaworthy sters,
so as to show a man of understanding how to discern
Patroklos' mighty spirit. 75
From then on the offspring ofThetis
6
exhorted
him never to post himself Ep. 3
in deadly combat far
'The original inhabitants ofElis (cf. Od. 13.275).
In Arcadia. 3 Opous. Patraklos.
King of Mysia, whose successor Telephos, a son of Hera
kles, opposed the Greeks when they landed in his country on
their way to Tray. Achilles.
155
PI NDAR
oooj:[,rov o/os .
80 cyv cvyo:cc;d:o,cio0o:
~ooo; cv Mo:oo: |q
-\oexoidj::\o;vvoj::;
co~o:ro. ~o{cv| ' dcr-'\0o:
-:ooo;`Io0j:|o:o: Aocoj:oov
|-o:;,r'dj:-co:xoryoov
|o:c,ov d:' oj:o:.
86 \o: e v' cv Ko|:-
0ov~v\o:;c,:ov-'ccc:roj:o:,
-oie xoiNcj:o;`Eo,j:or xoro x\cov
'A,c:-' coc0c xvo; d:a:, ~oi;' cv`A0:o:;,
oo:' cvMoo0a::ov\o0ci;d,c:c|a:
90 j::cv d,a:o~,co[v-a:dj:' d,v|coo::
aro; ' {v,c~ci\
d~rori oj:oooo:;
:g,c-o xvx\o: oo[o,
oio;covxoi xo\o; x\:o-orc {o:;.
95 roeIJooo| oro-
0ovj:oo-o;cov:y
Zy:o;dj:i~o:,v:v Avxo|ov,
xoivo:o~r' cv:ovov,j:oxo:ovo:
8
3
E<7OLTO codd. plerique: E7oLro HN: E<7OLT' ate, Acpe
156
OLYMPI AN 9
from his man-subduing spear.
1
May I fnd the right words and fttingly
drive forard in the chariot of the Muses,
and may boldness and ample power
attend me. Because of guest friendship and achievement
I have come to honor the Isthmian fllets
of Lampromachos, 2 when both 3 won
their victories in one day.
There were two more occasions for joy afterwards
at the gates of Corinth, 4
and others for Epharmostos in the valley of N emea;
at Argos he won glory among men and as a boy at Athens.
And what a contest he endured at Marathon against older
men
for the silver cups, when wrested from the beardless class:
with deftly shifting feints
he subdued the men without falling once,
and passed through the ring of spectators to such great
shouting,
being young and fair and performing the fairest deeds.
Then too he made a marvelous appearance
among the Parrhasian host
at the festival of Lykaian Zeus, 5
and at Pellana, when he carried off the warming remedy
I Achilles' spear of Pelian ash, which only he could wield (cf.
II. 16. 140-144); it fgured prominently in this episode, for it both
wounded and healed Telephos. 2 A relative of Epharmostos
(schol). Ribbons of wool were tied around the victors' heads and
limbs. 3 He and Epharmostos. *At the Isthmian
games. In Arcadia.
157
80
Str. 4
86
90
Ant. 4
96
PI NDAR
IIc\\:,c ov:xo;' ov- `Io\ov
-vposc::o\|o-' `E\cvoi;d,\oto:o::.
100 -oevx-:o-ov~ov ~o\\oi e:ox-oi;
dv0e~ovdc-oi;x\o;
ovoo: do0o:
vcv e0cov, oco:,oj::o:
ov oxo:-cov,j:'xoo-ov cv-i,o \\o:
105 oa:ooi~co|-co:,
j:|o' ov no:-osj:c0c:
j:c\-o oo|o::v
o|nc:vo| -ov-o e n,oo,ovc0\o:,
o0a:ovoo:0ooov,
1 10 -v' dvo o:j:o:| ,c,:c:
cvc:o, c:,v:ov, o,ov-' d\x:,
Alo:, -cv-' cv o:-|, `I\:o,
v:xovcnco-cvooc[oj:v.
112
ATuv, TtOV Hermann: ulavTEtov eodd.
158
OLYMPI AN 9
for chill winds.
1
Witnesses to his splendid successes
are Iolaos' tomb
2
and Eleusis by the sea.
What comes by nature is altogether best. Many men
strive to win fame
with abilities that are taught,
but when god takes no part, each deed is no worse
for being left in silence; for some paths
are longer than others,
and no single training will develop
us all. The ways of wisdom
are steep, but when you present this prize
boldly shout straight out
that with divine help this man was born with
qUick hands, nimble legs, determination in his look;
and at your feast, Aias, son of Ileus, 3
the victor has placed a crown upon your altar.
' In Aehaia; the prize was a woolen cloak.
2 At the Iolaia at Thebes.
3 Known as the "lesser Aias," his father's name is usually
spelled Olleus (ef. I 2.527-535).
159
100
Ep. 4
106
1 10
OLYMPI AN 1 0
Wester (or Epizephyrian) Lokroi was located on the
toe of Italy. The poet opens by asserting that he has for
gotten his agreement to compose the ode. Since the vic
tory (confirmed by P. Oxy. 222) was in 476, the same year
that OZ. 1, 2, and 3 were composed for Hieron and
Theron, it is likely that the more imposing commissions
took precedence over this one for a boy victor. Pindar,
however, promises interest ,-xo;) on his overdue debt
and atones with an especially rich ode that tells in loving
detail of Herakles' founding of the Olympic games, the
first contests held there, and the celebrations that fol
lowed. Indeed, its lateness makes it all the more appreci
ated for the immortality it confers on the victor.
Acknowledging that the ode is late, the poet invokes
the Muse and Truth to help absolve him from blame
( 1-6). In recompense, he will pay interest on his debt by
praising the Western Lokrians, who appreciate strict
dealing, poetry, and martial prowess ( 7-15). After a ref
erence to Herakles' difculties in defeating Kyknos, he
advises Hagesidamos to be grateful to his trainer Has,
who sharpened his natural talents ( 15-21) . Yet effort is
also required for victory (22-23) .
The poet i s inspired by the ordinances of Zeus (proba
bly those governing the festival in his honor) to tell of the
160
OLYMPI AN 10
founding of the Olympic games by Herakles, established
with the spoils he had taken when he destroyed the city of
Augeas, who refused to pay Herakles for cleansing his sta
bles (24-51) . He recounts that the Fates and Time
attended the initial festival, catalogs the winners of the six
events, and concludes with the festivities and victory
songs that followed in the evening (52-77). Accordingly,
the poet offers the present ode, which, although late, is all
the more welcome-like a son fnally bor to an old man
with no heirs ( 78-93). Pindar assures Hagesidamos that
this ode will preserve his fame, reiterates his praise of the
Wester Lokrians, and implies that through his verses
Hagesidamos, like another Ganymede, will become
immortal (93-105).
161
10. ArHI AMil I AOKPilI
EII IZE<TPl il I
II AI I II TKTHI
A' To:`O\vvav|xovdv,vo-o:
`Aeo--ovvoo, v0:,ev;
co;,,,ov-o: ,\vxv,oob \o; e|\ov
cv:\\o0' c Moo, d\\ou xoi 0v,-
`A\0e:o:;, 0 e|
5 c,vxe-ovcvar
cv:vor d\:-evov.
cxo0ev,o cve\0ov0 \\ov,vo;
covxo-o|ov:e[o0v o;.
o;oe \voo:vvo-o;eovcv:oor
-xo;. o-a vvvoorc\:ooovov
10 ovxvoxo-ox\vooe:[ov,
ov-exo:vov\,ov
|\ov-e|ooev c;:v.
8 Ka1aLCXVVE Boeckh: Ka1aLCXVVEt codd.
9 opa1w Fennel!: (va1wv codd.: ova1wp Hermann: opa1 6v
Schneidewin: ava1w, (vel ava1i) Erbse
162
10. FOR HAGESI DAMOS OF
WESTERN LOKROI
WI NNER, BOYS' BOXING, 476 B. C.
Read me the name of the Olympic victor, Str. 1
the son of Archestratos, where it is written
in my mind, for I owe 1 him a sweet song
and have forgotten. OMuse, but you and Zeus'
daughter,
Truth, with a correcting hand
ward off from me the charge of harming a guest friend 5
with broken promises.
For what was then the future has approached from afar Ant. 1
and shamed my deep indebtedness.
Nevertheless, interest on a debt can absolve one from
a bitter reproach. Let him see2 now:
just as a HOwing wave washes over a rolling pebble, 10
so shall we pay back a theme of general concern
U a friendly favor.
'The opening strophe and antistrophe use the language of
business (record-keeping, debts, interest, repayment) to discuss
the lateness of this ode.
2 I have accepted Fennel!'s emendation for the MSS's
unmetrical (va1wv ("mortals"); "him" is Hagesidamos.
163
PI NDAR
vc: ,o`Arxc:on\oAoxovZcv|a:,
\c:romKo\\:~o
15 xoi\xco;"Ay; . rcceKv-
xvc:o oxoivn[:ov
'Hox\o ~vxro; ' v`O\v~::v:xov
' I\ c,ro:v
'A,yo|oo;,;
`A:\cIJrox\o;.
20 0{o:;xcvvr'dcr nor|
~c\e,:ov ooo: x\o; d-
: 0covov:no\o:;
B' ~o:o:' c\o[o:onovo|vc;,
c,ovc,o~:ra:[:-o;.
d,a:o'{o|cro:dcoo:0:rc;oo:
:;, vdo|oo~o II\ono;
25 [oovc{:0o:xr|oooro,
nci IIooc:::o:
nvcKroro:dvo:o,
21
7aAa/at, ACNae?: 7aAa/f V
25
{W/WV AEi: {W/OV ,: {W/w( '') BFiGH?: 7OVWV Christ
' Strictness (' ATpEKEw) may refer to the severe early lawcode
ofZaleukos (schol. ), but it also refers to the Lokrians' accuracy in
business dealings.
2 The scholia say that Pindar is following the account in Stesi
choros' Kyknos lr 207 Campbell), which must have differed
from the version at [Hes.] Scutum 57-423. The particular inci-
164
OLYMPI AN 10
For Strictness 1 rules the city of the Western Lokrians,
and dear to them are Kalliope
and brazen Ares. The battle with Kyknos
turned back even mighty
Herakles, 2 and as a victorious boxer at the Olympic
games,
let Hagesidamos offer
gratitude to Ilas
3
U Patroklos did to Achilles.
By honing4 someone bor for excellence
a man may, with divine help,
urge him on to prodigious fame;
and few have won without effort that joy
which is a light for life above all deeds.
But the ordinances ofZeus have prompted me to sing
of the choice contest, which Herakles founded
with its six altars
5
by the ancient tomb of Pelops,
after he killed the son of Poseidon,
goodly Kteatos,
dent referred to is not known, nor is the follOwing one about
Patroklos and Achilles, which probably derives from the cyclic
tradition.
3 Hagesidamos' trainer (schol. ).
The image is one of a whetstone. In lines 20-22 Pindar
adumbrates four elements required for success: natural ability,
training, divine assistance, and effort.
I have printed {w/wv (AEi) against the meter; the refer
ence is to the six double altars dedicated to the twelve gods wor
shiped at Olympia (cf. 49 and C/. 5. 5). Some read Christ's 7OVWV
"with six toils" as a reference to the six events listed in 64-72.
165
Ep. 1
15
20
Str. 2
25
30
35
40
r'
45
PI NDAR
nc' Ev,v-ov, o;Av,cov \-av
dcxov0' cxv:o0ovvvc[a:
nooo:-o,\o:o:eoxcvoo:;vnoK\ca:o:
oocxoixc|:ov;'Hox\c;c' o,
-:n,o0cno-eT:v:0:ov
cncoo:ov-o-o-:
vo;jcvov 'A\:o;
Mo\|ovc;vvc|o\o:. xoio:cvon;
`Enc:ov[oo:\cv;on0cv
ov no\\o: cno-|o no\v-
x-co:o:vvo oc,cnv|
n\o,o;-co:ov[o0v:c|;c-ov ;
i(o:oo:co:n\o.
vcxo;ex,coovov
dno0co0' noo:.
xoi xcvo;d[ov\|o-o;
o\aoa;dv-oo:; 0:o-o:
o|nv:ovx ccv,c:.
o ' 'cvH|o c\oo:; \o:-co-o-:
\o: -cnooo: :o; \x:o;
"
0 '0 ' j
va; o-o o-o o covooo;no-:c,:o-

A
' ^ " 0
nc: cnoo:; -:vcvo, cvxo o
:cx,oc, -oexvx\ncov
c0xc,nov\voo,
-:oo:;nov`A\cov
166
OLYMPI AN 1 0
and killed Eurytos, s o that he might exact the wage
for his menial service from mighty Augeas,
1
who was
unwilling to give it. Hiding in a thicket below Kleonai,
Herakles overcame them in tur on the road,
because before that the overbearing Moliones2
had destroyed his army of Tirynthians
when it was encamped
mthe valleys of Elis. And indeed, not long afterards,
the guest-cheating king of the Epeians3
saw his wealthy homeland
sink into the deep trench of ruin
beneath a ruthless fre and strokes of iron
even his own city.
Strife with those more powerful
one cannot put aside.
So that man, through lack of counsel, at last
met with capture
and did not escape sheer death.
Thereupon, Zeus' valiant son gathered the entire army
and all the booty at Pisa,
and measured out a sacred precinct for his father
most mighty. He fenced in the Altis4 and set it apart
in the open, and he made the surrounding plain
a resting place for banqueting,
and honored the stream of Alpheos
' Herakles cleaned his stables by diverting the Alpheos river.
2 Kteatos and Eurytos (cf. Il. 1 1.750-752, Paus. 5.2. 1, and
Diod. Sic. 4. 33.3-4). 3 Augeas; the Epeians are the inhabi-
tants ofElis (cf. OZ. 9.58). 4 The precinctofZeus.
167
Ant. 2
30
Ep. 2
35
40
Str. 3
45
PI NDAR
c-o ecx'd:x-ov 0cov xon,o:
50 K:ovnooc0,o-o njo0c ,
:a:v:o;, o; O/:oo; ojc, [jc-o no\\
:.-ov-' cvnjo-oyv-c\c-
noo-ove:oMooocv
o -' cc\,a::o;
d\0c:o:c-g-vo:
55 X:o;. -o eooo:e;|a:njoo xo-oocv,
o-ovno\om o:
dx0:o c\a: 0vcxo
ncv-oc-:'na; o
o-oocvcoj-ov ovv `O\vn:nje-
:xoo:oo: -c.
60 -:; q no-o:vav
\oco-o:o:
c:jcoonoo:v-c xoo,
d,a:m: c: 0cvo;
co;,jyxo0c\a:,
o-ave:d:o-cvocv, cv0v:-vov
65 nooo-jov,no;o Axvv:ov
O:a:;xcve Mo0cv o-o-ovc\ov:a:
o en\ xvo:vo:' Eco;Tc,o:
Avx\o; 'cjcnv,o;-\o;,
T:v:0o :o:a:n\o
64 E"v TOVOV Thiersch: eVfvTovov codd.
168
OLYMPI AN 10
along with
1
the twelve ruling gods. And he gave the hill
of Kronos its name, because before that it had none,
when, during Oinomaos' reign, it was drenched
with much snow. And at that founding ceremony
the Fates stood near at hand,
H did the sole assayer
of genuine truth,
Time, which in its onward march clearly revealed
how Herakles divided up that gift of war2
and offered up its best portion,
and how he then founded
the quadrennial festival with the first Olympiad
and its victories.
Who then won
the new crown
with hands or feet or with chariot,
after fixing in his thoughts a triumph
in the contest and achieving it in deed?
The winner of the stadion, as he ran the straight stretch
with his feet, was Likmnios' son,
Oionos, who came at the head of his army from Midea.
In the wrestling Echemos gained glory for Tegea.
Doryklos won the prize in bOxing,
who lived in the city of Tiryns,
1 Or omng. One of the six double altars was dedicated to
Alpheos and Artemis (cf. C/. 5. 5).
2 The booty he had taken from destroying Augeas' city (44).
169
Ant. 3
50
Ep. 3
56
60
Str. 4
65
PI NDAR
d:'inno:o --oo:v
70 dno Mov-:vo looo `A\:o0|ov
xov-:do-a\oocoxonv
j:oxoN:xcv:xcn-j o xvx\aoo:
vj :-a:, xoiovj.o|o 0v[o:
noodvc j:,o:. cv ' concjov
\ccvcvan:o
75 oc\:oco-o:o.
dc|c-onov-j.cvon:oio: 0o\|o:
-ovcyxej::ovdj:i-jnov.
do

co-o:ccj:cvo:
xo|:v:cnavv|o:o
:|xodycaovxc\ooj:c0o[o:-:
80 xoinvn\oov[\o
jo:x-vnov:,
cvnov-:x-c:
oi0a:o xcov:o:do-o
\:ooo j:o\nonjox\oj.ov
dv-:c: c\ov,
L -ono'cvx\:|xj:j.v:c:
86 d\\' -cnoic d\ov co-|
70 !i,o, ( 'AALpo(tov Boeckh: ei,' aALp(p )o(tOV ( -ov,
A) Aa: !i,,o, (vel !rpo,) 'AALppo(tOV !yp
71 aKOITL Moschopulus: aKOITL Sf vett,
86 W' Boeckh: wot codd.
170
OLYMPI AN 10
and i n the four-horse chariot race
it was Samos of Mantinea, son of Halirothios.
Phrastor hit the mark with the javelin,
while with a swing of his hand Nikeus cast the stone
1
a distance beyond all others, and his fellow soldiers
let fly a great cheer. Then the lovely light
of the moon's beautiful face
lit up the evening, 2
and all the sanctuary rang with singing amid festive joy
in the fashion of victory celebration.
And faithful to those ancient beginnings,
now too we shall sing a song of glory named
for proud victory
3
to celebrate the thunder
and fire-flung weapon
of thunder-rousing Zeus,
the blazing lightning
that befits every triumph,
and the swelling strains of song
shall answer to the pipe's reed,
songs that have at last appeared by famous Dirke. 4
But as a son, born from his wife, is longed for
1 The early discuses were made of stone. and accuracy rather
than distance was required in the javelin throw. Eventually these
two events were incorporated into the pentathlon (cf. 18th.
1.24-27).
For the full moon at the time of the OlympiC festival, see
C/. 3. 19-20.
I.e. v,,10, E7LltKW, ("victory hymn'") .
The spring near Pindar's Thebes.
171
Ant. 4
71
75
Ep, 4
80
Str. 5
86
PI NDAR
0 ` '' `

T c::o; :xov vco-o-o; -o no:vyy

\oo|0cjj:o:vc::\vov
cccin\ov-o;o \oa:no:j:vo
ccox-ovd\\-:ov
90 0:oxo:o-vycje-o-o;
xoi:xo\ojo:;doos-cj,
'Ayyo|o',c:;`A|oo0v
d:i-o:, xc:convcvoo:;nojc0
[ov-cnvv. -iv' vcng;-c \vo
,\vxv;-' ov\o;dvoooc::v
95 -jo: ' cvjv x\o;
xjo:I I:c:c; :;.
cyoeovvcon-cvo;ocov, x\v-ov0vo;
Aoxjovdj:ncoov,j:\:
cv:oo n\:: xo-o[jov
noi' cjo-ov <'> `Aco--ov
100 ovoo, -ovco:xjo-ov-o cjo; d\x
[oovco' `O\vj:n:ov
xcivovxo-ojvov
/ -cxo\:
j -cxcxjoj:vov, a co-c
105 d:o:oIovvj:gc:j:o:0
\o\xcovvKvcjoycvci.
87 vEoTaTo, A' (sehol. ) ' : vEomn reIl.
9
1
KaAa By: KaAa JEV vett.
99 <8' > suppl. Mosehopulus
172
I
OLYMPI AN 10
by a father already come to the opposite of youth
and warms his mind with great love
(since wealth that falls to the care
of a stranger from elsewhere
is most hatefl to a dying man),
90
so, when a man who has performed noble deeds, Ant. 5
Hagesidamos, goes without song to Hades'
dwelling, in vain has he striven and gained for his toil
but brief delight. Upon you, however, the sweetly
speaking lyre and melodious pipe are shedding glory,
and the Pierian daughters ofZeus
1
95
are fostering your widespread fame.
And I have earestly joined in and embraced Ep. 5
the famous race of the Lokrians, drenching with honey
their city of brave men.
I have praised the lovely son of Archestratos,
whom I saw winning with the strength of his hand 100
by the OlympiC altar
at that time,
beautiful of form
and imbued with the youthfulness that once averted
ruthless death from Ganymede, 105
with the aid of the Cyprus-bor goddess. 2
1 The Muses were bor in Pieria, north of Mt. Olympos (ef
Res. Th. 53).
Aphrodite.
1
0
5
Jopov Mommsen: BrvaTov eodd.: 1OTJOV Rermann I
aAaAKE eodd.: aAKE (vel aAE) Maas
173
OLYMPI AN 1 1
This poem commemorates the same event as the pre
vious one, and their relationship has long been debated.
The scholia claim that OZ. 11 was written to pay the inter
est on the debt mentioned in OZ. 10, while many modern
editors (e. g. , Dissen, Gildersleeve, Fennell, and Farnell)
have followed Boeckh in reversing the order of the two
odes on the supposition that OZ. 1 1 was performed imme
diately at Olympia and that it promises the longer ode
( OZ. 10). The latter view gains some support from the
poet's statement at OZ. 10. 100 that he saw Hagesidamos
win at Olympia, but neither poem makes an explicit refer
ence to the other.
The poem opens with a priamel in which the needs of
sailors for winds and of farmers for rain are capped by the
need of victors for commemorative songs ( 1-6). In a brief
pretertio (recognized as such by E. L. Bundy), the poet
asserts that much can be said in praise of Olympic victors,
and that he is eager to praise at length, but declines to do
so by saying that with divine help and poetic skill he can
succeed just as effectively with a succinct account (7-10).
He briefly states Hagesidamos' achievement and offers to
grace his Olympic crown by honoring the people of West
ern Lokroi ( 11-15). The poet dispatches the Muses to
the celebration there (i.e. in Western Lokroi) and praises
174
OLYMPI AN 1 1
the Lokrians for their hospitality, good taste, intelligence,
and martial prowess ( 16-19). He assures the Muses that
they will find the Lokrians as he has described them, for
no more than foxes or lions could they change their
nature (19-20).
175
11. ArH:I AMlI AOKPlI
EII I ZE<TPI lI
lALI lTKTHI
' Eo:d:0a~o:; dva:o-c~\c|o-o
o:; ov ' ovo:|a:v-ov,
j:[|a:~o|a: vc\o;
c/eov:nv-:;cv~ooo:,
j:c\:,vc;vo:
5 vo-jovdo \,a:
-\\c-o:xoi~:o-ovox:o:j:c,\o:;dc-o;.
d0ov-o; ' oivo; `O\vj:~:ov|xo:;
oh-o; yxc:-o:. -oevj:c-jo
,\aooo ~o:j:o|:c:vc0\c:,
10 cx0c'd: oooi;d:0ci
~jo~|cooooo|a;.
o0::v:,`Aco--ov
~oi, -co;, 'A,o|oj:c, ~v,j:o|o; vcxcv
5 apxa A: apxa< a
8 aYKELTat By. (avaKELTat schol. ) : YKELTat vett.
10 o/oiw, Leutsch e schol.: O/W, ot {: om. Av
176
11. FOR HAGESI DAMOS OF
WESTERN LOKROI
WI NNER, BOYS' BOXI NG, 476 B. C.
There i s a time when i t i s for winds that men have Str.
greatest
need; there is a time when it is for heavenly waters,
the drenching children of the cloud;
but if through toil someone should succeed,
honey-sounding hymns
are a beginning for later words of renown, 5
and the faithful pledge of great achievements.
Without stint is that praise dedicated to Ant.
Olympic victors. My tongue is eager
to shepherd those praises,
but with help from a god a man flourishes 10
with a wise mind just as well. '
Be assured now, son of Archestratos, 2
that because of your bOxing, Hagesidamos,
Others, following a scholion (1Oc), interpret this very dif
cult sentence to mean that a poet needs a god's help to succeed
just as (o/oiw,) the victor does.
2 Hagesidamos.
177
P I NDAR
xoo:niorvjvoo;\o|o;
vj:\x\ooo,
15 Zvj:ovAoxovyvovd\,a:.
:0oovyxoj:{or` ,,vooj:o:
j:j:: r Mooo:, v,{oov oror:
'dn|oro:xo\a:
dxoo:rxoio/j:orov d|{-
o0o:. ro,o j:ve;ovr' oJa:d\e~y{
20 ovr' |[joj:o:\ovr;:o\\{o:vro0o;.
15 ZEqvpiwv Boehmer: TWV E1n,EqVpiwv ( E1n- om. A
I
) codd.
17 /L /LLV codd. : v/L/Lw Jongh e paraphr. : /L /LEV Hartung:
/L TtI Thiersch
18 /LTO' codd.: /LT' Bergk
2
0 OLaAAaaLvTo codd.: OLaAAaaLvT' iv Cs: /LETaAAaaWTo
Choricius: OtaAAaavTo Lehrs: OtaAAaaiaT' Wackeragel
178
OLYMPIAN 1 1
Ishall ador your crown of golden olive
with my sweet song of celebration,
as Ipay respect to the race of the Epizephyrian Lokrians.
There join the celebration: Ishall promise,
L Muses, that you will come to no people who shun a
guest
or are inexperienced in beautiful things;
they are supremely wise
1
and spearmen H well.
Take my word: neither ruddy fox
nor roaring lions could change their inbor character.
2
'As with "wise" in line 10, the reference is primarily to poetic
skill and appreciation.
" The fox (cleverness) and the lions (prowess) point to the
native qualities of intellect (dKpoaoqov) and courage (aiX/La-
Tal) in the Wester Lokrians (cf. C/. 10.14-15). For the same
qualities in a pancratiast, see 18th. 4. 45-47.
179
Ep.
15
20
OLYMPI AN 1 2
Exiled from Knossos by political unrest, Ergoteles
settled in Himera on the north coast of Sicily and went on
to become a double periodonikes in the dolichos (Paus.
6.4. 11) . The bronze inscription for his statue was discov
ered at Olympia in 1953, and is dated to 464 or later
(Ebert, #20). When this ode was composed (most likely
in 466), he was in mid-career and had not yet won his sec
ond Olympic victory. The city of Himera had recently
been freed from the control of Akragas by Hieron, per
haps occasioning the epithet of Deliverer for Zeus ( 1) .
The poet invokes Tyche ( Fortune) as a savior goddess,
daughter of Zeus the Deliverer, and asks her to protect
Himera ( 1-2). After describing her powers over sailing,
war, and assemblies, he states that men's hopes are often
fulflled, but at other times prove vain (3-6a). No human
can know with certainty what the gods have in store for
the future (7-9), and many things turn out contrary to
men's best judgment: sometimes they are unpleasant, but
at other times distress can trn to great happiness
( 1O-12a).
The career of Ergoteles exemplifies adverSity proving
to be a bleSSing, for if he had not been exiled from Knos
sos, he would not have become a celebrated Panhellenic
runner ( 13-16). Now a victor at Olympia, Delphi, and
the Isthmos, he glorifies his new home ( 17-19).
181
12. EPrOTEAEI I MEPAI !I
iOAI XOiPOMfI
A|oooa:, ~oZvo;`E\cv0c|ov,
' Ij:o:cvjvo0cv' d:~\c:, oe-c:oTvo.
-iv,o cv~v- xv[cjvov-o: 0oo|
:oc;, cvjo-c\ou;oi~\cj:o:
5 x,ooi[ov\oo:. o,cj:v :a:
~\' vo, -o ' ov x-o
a cv c-oj:ev:o -j:vo:oo:xv\|:ov-' c\~|c;
ovj:[o\ov'ov~e -:;c~:0ov|ov
~:o-ovj:i~{:o;coooj:vo;cvjc:0c0c:,
-ovj:c\v-ov-c-v\ov-o:oo|
10 ~o\\o' dv0je~o:;~oo,:aj:o:ocv,
j:~o\:vj:v-j:o;, o|' ::oo;
dv-:xvoov-c; \o:;
Iza co\ov[o0v~j:o-o;cvj::xj ~cj:c:o:j:.
v| 4:\voo;, J-o:xoi-c xcv
1 Ergoteles won his frst Olympic victory in 472 (cf. Ox.
182
12. FOR ERGOTELES OF HI MERA
WINNER, DOLICHOS , 466 B. C. !
I entreat you, child of Zeus the Deliverer, Str.
preserve the might of Himera, Savior Fortune.
For it is you who on the sea guide swift
ships, and on land rapid battles
and assemblies that render counsel. As for men's hopes, 5
they ofen rise, while at other times they roll down
U they voyage across vain falsehoods. 6a
No human has yet found a sure sign Ant.
from the gods regarding an impending action;
their plans for future events lie hidden from view. 2
Many things happen to men counter to their judgment- 10
at times to the reverse of their delight, but then some
who have encountered grievous storms
exchange their pain for great good in a short space of 12a
time.
Son of Philanor, truly would the honor of your feet, Ep.
222), but this ode was probably written after his Pytbian victory
+.
" Others, following the scholiastic gloss of YVW<H' for
qpa8ai and comparing Pae. 7B. lS (Tvq>aL yap av8pwv
qPEv,,), translate, "[men's] perceptions of future events are
blind."
183
P I NDAR
cvoo;r' d\cxroovyyv no'or|
I dx\;r:oxorv\\oov)noov,
/oro:;dvr:v:oK:ao|o;o'o
nro;.
vVv ' `O\vj:n|orovoovo;
xoi i; cxIJv0a:o;` Io0j:or', `Eyr\;,
0j:oNvj:o:\ovro[oor(:;o:-
\avno'o/x|o:;dovo:;.
184
OLYMPI AN I z
like a local fighting cock by its native hearth,
have dropped its leaves ingloriously, I
had not hostle faction deprived you of your homeland,
Knossos.
But now, having won a crown at Olympia,
and twice from pytho and at the Isthmos, Ergoteles,
you exaltl the Nymphs' warm baths, living
by lands that are your own.
' Or take in yor hand (Le. bathe in). For the hot springs of
Himera, see Diod. Sic. . !.+.
185
OLYMPI AN 1 3
The ode opens with T:oo\v~:o:|xo: ("thrice vic
torious at Olympia") , an imposing compound coined for
the occasion that fills the frst verse. It is warranted
because Thessalos, the father of the victor, had won the
stadion at Olympia, while Xenophon achieved the singu
lar feat of winning both the stadion and the pentathlon in
the same Olympiad. His unique achievement refects the
inventiveness of his city, Corinth, for it is credited with
the discovery of the dithyramb, the bridle and bit, and
temple decorations. Pindar illustrates Corinthian ingenu
ity with the examples of Sisyphos and Medea, but chooses
as his central narrative the discovery of the bridle and bit
by Bellerophon. The athletic success of Xenophon and
his clan, the Oligaithidai, is extraordinary: Pindar credits
them with sixty victories at N emea and the Isthmos alone.
Pindar also wrote a skolion for Xenophon, twenty lines of
which are preserved as fr 122.
This family with three Olympic victories that is both
kind to citizens and hospitable to foreigners refects the
qualities of its city, Corinth, where the three Horai
(Order, Justice, and Peace) dwell ( 1-10). The poet says
that he will boldly proclaim his praise of the Corinthians,
including their athletic triumphs, inventiveness, and love
of the Muse and Ares 01-23) . He prays that Olympian
186
OLYMPI AN 13
Zeus continue t o bless them with good fortune and
receive this celebration of Xenophon's unprecedented
double victory at Olympia (24-31) . There follows an
impressive catalog of Xenophon's and his family's athletic
achievements, concluded by the poet's statement that he
cannot enumerate all their victories at Delphi and
Nemea, since moderation should be observed (32-48).
After announcing that he will embark on a public
theme, Pindar praises Corinth for its heroes of the intel
lect, Sisyphos and Medea, before passing on to the Trojan
war, in which Corinthians fought on both sides, and
finally singling out Glaukos the Lykian, whose ancestor
was Bellerophon (49-62). An extensive narrative tells of
Bellerophon's discovery of the bridle and bit through the
help of Athena, his exploits with Pegasos, and his ultimate
fate, details of which the poet will not provide (63-92).
The poet aims his javelins of praise at the vi

tor's cla,
the Oligaithidai, and provides a catalog of theIr athletIc
victories that includes so many items he must swim away
as if out of a sea (93-114). The poem ends with a prayer
to Zeus to grant them esteem and success ( 114-115).
187
13. SENOcfNTI KOPI N8I fI
!TAI OPOM!H KAI IIENTA8AflI
A' T:oo\vj:nav|xo:
cno:varoxov]j:cjovdo-o;,
{vo:o:DE 0cnov-o,yveooj:o:
-o: \[|o: K::0o:, `Io0j:|ov
5 n0vo:IIo-c:o:o;, d,\oxovo:.
cv-,o Ev:oj:|ovo|c:xoo:-
yv-j-o-c, [0o: no\|a: doo\;,
|xoxoo-joo; Ei-
:o, -j::' d:o:n\ov-ov,
voco:noc;cv[ov\ovOj::-o;
c0\ov-:' d\{c:v
Ic T[:v, Kovo-o0oovv0ov.
o xo\-coo:, -\j:o-j:o:
cv0coy\aooo:j:vc:\yc::,
6 KacLyv'TaL TE B: KactyvTa TE reil.
7 TafL' Mommsen: TafLLat codd.
' Themis' daughters by Zeus, the Horai (Seasons) are named
in the same order at Hes. Th. ecz.
188
13. FOR XENOPHON OF CORI NTH
WI NNER, STADI ON AND PENTATHLON,
464 B. C.
In praising a house with three Olympic victories, Str.
one that is gentle to townsmen
and for foreigners an assiduous host, I shall come to know
prosperous Corinth, portal
of Isthmian Poseidon and city of gloriOUS children. 5
For there dwells Order with her sister Justice,
firm foundation for cities,
and Peace, steward of wealth for men,
who was raised with them-
the golden daughters of wise-counseling Themis.
1
They resolutely ward off Ant
Hybris, the bold-tongued mother of Excess. 2 ic
I have noble things to tell and straightforward
confdence urges my tongue to speak;
" Hybris is lawless. abusive behavior (the suitors in the
Odyssey provide good examples); Koros is satiety or excessive
ness that becomes clOying. In the normal pairing of hybrs and
kors, the relationship is reversed, where excess leads to abusive
ness (cf. Theogn. 153).
189
PI NDAR
j:oov c

xvo:-o oyycvc

;0o;.
vj:j::v , noc;`A\-o,no\\oev
::xoo:d,\o|o:nooov
15 xo:; dc-o;hcc\-
0v-ov|cjo;cv d0\o:;
no\\o' cvxo|o:;d:a:[o\o:
'Ho:no\v:0co: d-
oooo|oo0'. no:'cvjv-o; jyov.
-o:ovvoovn0cv c{o:c:
ov:[og\- o:-c;:0vj:[,
zc -|;,o |nnc|o:; cv v-coo:vj:-o,
0cov :ooo:v o/ovov[oo:\o|vj:ov
cn0gx', cveMoo' vnvoo;
cv' Ag;d:0c vov
ov\|o:; o/j:oo:vd:a:.
B I nor' cvjv d:ooa:
z `O\vn|o; d0vg-o;ncoo:v
yvo:o :o: nov-o, Zcno-cj,
xo-vc \oo:d[\o[ vj:ov
c:oa:-o;cv0v:co|j:o:o;oo:
{o:-o|o-c:a:cyxej::ov
-c0j:v, -ovyc: nc|a: cxH|oo;
The gnome applies both to Pindar's forthright character and
to the natural ability of the Corinthians, about to be praised.
Aletes was an early Dorian king of Corinth.
According to Hdt. I. z!, Arion of Methymna invented the
190
OLYMPI AN I !
and one cannot conceal the character that is inbor.
1
Sons of Aletes, 2 upon you have the Rorai rich in flowers
often bestowed the splendor of victory,
when you prevailed with loftiest achievements
in the sacred games,
and often have they put into the hearts of your men
inventions oflong ago.
All credit belongs to the discoverer.
Whence did the delights of Dionysos appear
with the ox-driving dithyramb?
Who then added the restrainer to the horse's gear
or the twin kings of birds to the temples
of the gods?3 There flourishes the sweet-voiced Muse;
there thrives Ares
with the young men's deadly spears.
Most exalted, wide-ruling lord
of Olympia, may you not begrudge my words
for all time to come, father Zeus,
and, as you guide this people free from harm,
direct the wind ofXenophon's fortune,
and receive from him as tribute for his crowns this rite
of celebration, which he brings from the plains of Pis a,
dithyramb and taught it in Corinth. It is called ox-driving
because oxen served as prizes and were sacrifced during the
festival. The Corinthians initiated the placement of eagles as
fnials at the apex of each end of the Doric temple (a schol.
claims, however, that Pindar is referring to the pediments, aET
po:,so-called because they supposedly resemble an eagle's out
stretched wings). The discovery of the bridle and bit will be the
subject of the forthcoming narrative.
191
15
Ep. I
zc
Str. z
z
PI NDAR
!c ~cr-o0\o o-o:ov
::xoiov dr-c[\yocr
-ordv 0vo-o; ov~o -:; ~-co:.
vo ' ov-ovcc;ov
~\xo:oc\:ioicv` Io0:coo::
o:r-o Nco -'ovxdv-:{oc
! ~o-o;eOcooo\o' c~'`A\c
c0o:o:io,\o~oavdroxc:-o:,
IIv0o -'cc:o-o:ov-:ov:ov-
\ov0'o\: d'ci:,y:;- o:
-ov-ovxovoo;cv`A0-
vo:o:-:oc,o~oox;
oo0xcx\:o-'dixo:;,
+c 'E\\a-:o' c~-ox:; ci
' d:\o:o:IJo-c:ovo;-c0oo:i
H-oaaom~o-iox-co:
Tc;:0'cor-' `Ej:-:-'do:o:
ooo-'cvAc\oo:i d:o-cvoo-c
e j-o:;cv\or-o;, y:oo: ~o\o::
+ ~ci ~ \0c: xo\ov o; ov oo;
ovx ovc|c:y: \,c:i
~o:-:oioord:0:.
42
T<pIil 0' E. Schmid: TfpIia 0' NPcoac?: TfpIiaL 0' B':
TEpIui< 0' COpcBi: TEpIL< (, sed cf. schol. I 'EPLTil''
E. Schmid: epiTLI0L (epLTil'' schol.) codd.
192
OLYMPI AN I!
by winning i n both the pentathlon !c
and the stadion race. He has attained
what no mortal man ever did before.
Two wreaths of wild parsley crowned him Ant. z
when he appeared at the Isthmian
festivals, and Nemea offers no opposition.
The foot-racing glory of his father Thessalos !
is dedicated by the streams of the Alpheos,
and at Pytho he holds the honor of the stadion and
diaulos won within one sun's course, while in the same
month in rocky Athens one swift-footed day
.
placed three fairest
prizes around his hair,
and the Hellotian games2 did so seven times. Ep. z
But in Poseidon's festivals between the seas
it will take longer songs to keep up with Ptoiodoros, +i
his father, and Terpsias and Eritimos. 3
And when it comes to all your family'S victories at Delphi
and in the lion's fields, 4 Istand opposed to many5
concering the multitude of successes, for truly +
Iwould not know how to state a clear number
for the pebbles of the sea.
1 Litotes. N emea tells the same story.
2 Games held at Corinth in honor of Athena Hellotis.
3 The schol. claim that Ptoiodoros and Terpsias were brothers
(and hence father and uncle of Thessalos), while Eritimos was
the son (or grandson) ofTerpsias.
4 N emea, where Herakles slew the lion.
I.e. many other eulogists of the family. In lines u-Icche
gives his count of their Nemean and Isthmian victories.
193
r' cnc-o:' c vcxo-
P I N OAR
-jo: :ooo: xo:o;:o-o;.
,a lm;v xo:vo-o\c:;
c j:-::-c,ova:no\o:,:a:
n\cj:v-'v ]a:o:; dc-oo:v
ov(cvooj:' dj:iKoj:v0, :ovov
j:vnvx:-o-o:no\oo:;o;0cv,
xoi-ovno-o;dv-:oM-
c:o: 0cj::o:yoj:ovov-
:o oe-c:o: `A,o xoinjoc\o:;
-oxo:no-'vd\x
njo Ao:ov-c:ovoo:
n' dj:-coj:oov-oj:vc:v-\o;,
-oij:v,vc: :\ ov:`A-o;
'E\:o:xoj::ov-c;, o:' dnonj:no:
c cl,o:-c; xAvx:o;I\ovxo:\-
0:-o-jj:covAo:oo:.-oo:j:v
{cvc-' v o-c:Hc:-
:o;oc-ovno-o;d:
xoi[o0v: x\oovj:j:cv xoij:,oov
;-o;:eco;v:-
vno-clo,vo; qn\'dj:i xjovvo;
H,ooo: (cv{o:no0ovno0cv,
' I.e. Agamemnon and Menelaos. The Corinthians were
under the command of Agamemnon (cf. I. z.e-;
194
OLYMPI AN i !
In each matter there comes
due measure, and it is best to recognize what is fitting.
But I, as a private individual embarked upon a public
mission,
proclaiming their ancestors' intelligence
and warfare amidst heroic achievements,
shall tell no lies about Corinth in citing Sisyphos,
most shrewd in cleverness like a god,
and Medea, who in opposition to her father
made her own marriage,
to become the savior of the ship Argo and its crew;
and then in former times as well, in their might
before the walls of Dardanos, they gained the reputation
on both sides for determining the outcome of battles,
both those endeavoring with the dear offspring of Atreus
to recover Helen, and those who at every tur were trying
to prevent them: for the Danaans trembled before
Glaukos who came from Lykia. And to them
he boasted that in the city
ofPeirene2 were the kingship
and rich inheritance and the palace of his father, 3
who once suffered much indeed in his yearning
to yoke Pegasos, the snaky Gorgon's
son, beside the spring,
4
2 Corinth, where the fountain of Peirene is located.
This account of BeIIerophon is based loosely on the speech
of Glaukos at Il. . i!-zii, where the descent is BeIIero
phon-Hippolochos-Glaukos. Pindar seems to omit Hippolochos.
*Peirene.
195
Str. !
c
Ant. !

c
Ep. !
PI NDAR
v|:,o|vo vvxoxovooX::
Ho\o; vcyx', c{ vc|ov0' ov-|xo
:no, a:ooc 0' Ec:;A|o\|o[oo:\cv,
,c |\o: -' inncavxcv,
xoo o| v:v 0vov
-ovo:d,c:-o no- c{ov.
^ xv:o:y:;cvo:
I xveooov-|o|no0vo;-oo c/ncv
o{cv d:o 0' no\' 0 no|.
noxc| cvoveov\\o[a:-o;
cn:ejav :-::o cvo;cvc:,
c{: -cKo:o:|nooo:-c\cv-
-o:n, o-o; w, -' d:o[a 0co;
xo:-o-ovvx-'dno xc|-
:ovo:o;, o;-o|ov-
Zy:o;cyc:xcov:ovno; nojcv
o oo|o:ovo:.
cvvnv| ' -:o-on:0o0o:
80 xc\oo- v:v, -ov 0' cvjvo0cvc
xo-o|no' d:ovj Io:o,
0 cv`Inn|[a o:cv0v;`A0:.
-c\ce 0co:v:o :;xo-o:no' -
xovxonooc\n|oxovo:x-|o:v.
79 8' q Kayser: 8' c E: 8at ,: 8 F: 8E' By: 8' ;Byz.
8
3
KTia'W Moschopulus: KT7(W vett.
196
OLYMPI AN I!
until, that is, the maiden Pallas brought him the bridle
with the golden bands, when his dream suddenly became
reality and she spoke, "Are you asleep, prince of Aiolos'
race?l
Come, take this horse charm,
and, sacrificing a white bull,
show it to your father, the Horsetamer."2
So much did the maiden of the dark aegis
seem to say to him as he slept
in the darkness, and he leapt to his feet.
He took the marvel that lay beside him
and gladly sought out the local seer,
the son of Koiranos,
3
to whom he revealed the entire
outcome of the affair, how he slept the night on the
goddess' altar4 at the bidding of that seer's oracle,
and how the very daughter
ofZeus whose spear is the thunderbolt gave him
the spirit-taming gold.
The seer commanded him to heed the dream
as qUickly as possible, and, upon sacrifcing
a strong-footed victim
5
to the mighty Earthholder,
to erect at once an altar to Athena Hippia.
6
The gods' power easily brings into being even
what one would swear impossible and beyond hope.
Aiolos was Bellerophon's great grandfather.
2 Poseidon; not strictly Bellerophon's father, but ancestor.
Polyidos (cf. Il. I!.!;. Sleeping in a temple (inc-
batio) was a means of communication with gods. I. e. the
bull mentioned in e. Athena, goddess of horses, who had
a cult at Corinth.
197

Str. 4
I

Ant. 4
80
PI NDAR
-o:xoio xo-co;o-
o|:a: c\cBc\\co:-o;,
85 jj:oxo:~ov-c|iaidiyiv:,
i~coi~-cjci-' dio[oi;'
cv0v; c:c\:o o\xa0ci; co:ci.
ov:exc|: xo|~o-' `Aooi:a:
odo;va:d~o x\~oicjj:ov
-o-oi[\\ai,v:o:xcio:o-o-i
90 xoiX:o:oi~vj c:o:ooi xoilo\vov;~c:c:.
:ooo~ooo:o|j:jo: c,
-oi ' c:Ov\v~-io:
Zy:o; doio:xo:-o:.
L ce ' cv0vi dx:-a:
|i-o[o:~oo oxo~o: ov
95 -o ~o\\o [\coxo-v:c:icoi:.
Mo|oo:;,ody\oo0:o:;cxe:
`O\:,o:0:o:o::-' [o:c~|xovjo;

`Io0o--' ciNc~ov ~c:

0oa o:j' d0', d\o0;-o:
ojxo;c~ooc-o:cyxo:-x:gdo-o0ci
100 vy\oooo;[oo xjvxo;co\ov.
88 tvxpw" Schroeder: tvXpi codd.
96 EKW" Moschopulus: 'KW" vett.
98 ravp'' ErH (rU'w Mommsen: ravp'' 8' ErH (rUw (8'
E
1
L(rUW Bel eel NI oae) codd.
99 87 a/Lc. Boeckh: 8' a/Lc. codd.
198
OLYMPI AN 13
And indeed powerful Bellerophon,
eagerly stretching
the soothing remedy around its jaws, captured 85
the winged horse. He mounted him, and clad in his armor Ep. 4
of bronze immediately began to make sport in warfare.
And with that horse thereafter, firing
from the cold recesses of the empty air, he slew
the army of female archers, the Amazons,
and the fire-breathing Chimaira and the Solymoi. 1 90
I shall be silent about his own doom,
but as for the other, Zeus' ancient stalls
on Olympos still accommodate him. 2
But I,in casting whirling javelins Str. 5
on their straight path, must not hurl
those many shafts from my hands beside the mark. 95
For Ihave come as a willing helper for the Muses
on their splendid thrones, and for the Oligaithidai. 3
As for their victories at the Isthmos and N emea, in a brief
word Ishall reveal their sum, and my true witness
under oath shall be the noble herald's sweet-tongued
shout heard full sixty times from both those places. 100
' For these exploits, see h 6. 179-186.
2 Bellerophon tried to ride Pegasos to Olympos (Isth.
7.44-7) and ended up wandering over the Aleian plain (Il.
6.200-202) ; for Pegasos' reception on Olympos, see Res. Th.
285: LT' E< a(a"uTov<' Z7"o< 8' E" 8w/LaUt "aiH.
The familyofXenophon.
199
PI NDAR
ro' `O\vn| ovrov
o:xcv ~o:0c\c\0o:
T r' cocvorr'vo|:oo;.
vvv'\noo:v,cv0c,c:
Ic r\o; c|o|o:,cv0\a;cjno:,
Airovr' `E:vo\| r' cxaoocv
nooc:v. ro 'v' v:Ho:ooo|
c{ "A,u0'ooooxoicv
O[o:; ooo r' `Axo:v fd:ooov
orvoc:Avxo|ov[oo;:o{
H\\o:rcxoi:xvv
xoiM,o' A|ox:o:r' cvcjx;\oo;
IIc a r' `E\cvoi;xoi \:~oo Moo0a:
ro|0'v'Ar:o;v:\ovxo\\|n\ovro:
~\:c;a r' Ev[om xoicooovxro
'E\\' cvjoc:; cjcvvov ooo:' o; |cv.
,c xovo:ooxvcvoovnoo|:
II Zcvr\c:', o|a |o:
xoirvo:rcj~vov,\vxcio:.
1
07 Er 'Apyd e' edd.: , apyn e' c: EV apYE' e' NO:
aparo, V apYE' S' B: idem omissis aparo ( | 'ApKaa
aVaCWV codd. : 'ApKaC (a(a" Bergk: 'ApKaCV 6CCov
Mommsen
114
aYE . . . EKVWCOV (vel KVEVCW) Maas: aAAu . . . KVEV
Ca, codd.: ava . . . EKvEvCa, Kayse
r
115
alS' Byz.: alS' rE codd.
200
OLYMPI AN I!
Their Olympic victories to date Ant.
have, it seems, already been reported;
1
and those to come Iwould declare clearly when they
occur.
At this point Iam hopeful, but with the god is
the outcome. But if their family fortune should continue, Ic
we will leave it to Zeus and Enyalios2
to accomplish. Their victories beneath Pamassos' brow
number six; and all those at Argos
and in Thebes, and all those whose witness will be
the Lykaian god's
3
royal altar that rules over the
Arcadians,
and Pellana and Sikyon and Ep.
Megara and the well-walled precinct of the Aiakidai, 4
and Eleusis and shining Marathon IIc
and the splendidly rich cities under Aitna's
lofty crestS and Euboia-and if you search throughout
Hellas, you will find more than the eye can see.
Come, swim out with nimble feet.
Zeus accomplisher, grant them respect II
and sweet attainment of success.
` The three Olympic victories announced by the first word of
the poem, two won by Xenophon ,!c; and one by Thessalos
.!-!;.
Ares.
Zeus'.
4 In Aigina.
Aitna and Syracuse.
201
OLYMPIAN 1 4
This is the only ode to a victor from Orchomenos
(Erchomenos in Boiotian spelling) and consists mainly of
a hymn to the Graces ,X:-c;),associated with the city
from ancient times (Paus. 9.35.1-7). Since the date of
476 given by the scholia is not confirmed by P Oxy. 222,
the poem is usually ascribed to 488, the date most likely
to have been altered by a scribal error (cf. Gaspar 50) .
According to the scholia the event (not indicated in the
poem) was the stadion in the boys' category. It is the only
ode to consist of just two strophes.
The poet invokes the Graces as guardians of
Orchomenos and providers of all pleasure for mortals
( 1-7). They are also present at the gods' festivals and
seated beside Apollo (8-12). In the second strophe the
poet re-invokes them by name as Aglaia ( Splendor),
Euphrosyne ( Good Cheer), and Thalia (Festivity) and,
because she helped bring it about, asks the last of these to
look kindly upon the present celebration of Asopichos'
OlympiC victory ( 13-20) . The sudden appearance of the
word j:c\ovrc:o ("black-walled") casts a shadow over
the so-far joyful ode, as the poet asks Echo to convey the
news of the young man's victory to his dead father in
Hades (20-24).
203
14. Ail II I XiI OPXOMENl il I
!T ALI EI
A' Ko:o|a:vra:
\ooioo:olc vo|crcxo\\|vo\ovco:,
a \:voo;do|:p:[oo|\c:o:
X:rc;`Ejoj:cvov,no\o:,:a:Movo:cn|oxovo:,
x\vr', cvc cvoo: ov:,ovj:ivr<rc>rcjvvo
7
xo:
roy\vx' vcro:vvro[joroi;,
c:oo;, c: xo\;, c; dy\oo; d:.
ovc,o 0coioc:o: Xo|rovrc
xo:ovo:oov;
ovrcoi; d\\ovrovroj:|o:
ic ,a:cvovo:, jvo-o{o:0j:cvo:vo
Hv0m:`Av\a:o 0:ov;,
ob:oo:o[o:vorjo;`O\vj:v|omj::.
B' <a> vrv:' `Ay\oto
:\o|j:o\vr' Evjoovvo, 0covxjor|orov
5 <TE> suppl. Rermann
schol.: YAVKa ytVETat codd.
codd. 13 <6 suppl. By.
204
6 YAVK' aVETat Kayser e
8 OUOE Schneidewin: OVTE
14. FOR ASOPI CHOS OF
ORCHOMENOS
WI NNER, STADI ON
You to whom the waters of Kephisos
belong, and who dwell in a land of fine horses,
LGraces, much sung queens
of shining Orchomenos and guardians of the ancient
Minyai, l
hear my prayer. For with your help all things pleasant
and sweet come about for mortals,
whether a man be wise, handsome, or illustrious.
Yes, not even the gods arrange
choruses or feasts
without the august Graces; but as stewards of all
works in heaven, they have their thrones beside
Pythian Apollo of the golden bow,
and worship the Olympian father's2 ever flowing majesty.
Lqueenly Aglaia,
and song-loving Euphrosyne, children of the mightiest
The ancient inhabitants of Orchomenos.
" Zeus', either as the "father of gods and men" or as the
Graces' father (cf. Res. Th. ec-ece, where their names are
given in the same order as in this poem) .
205
Str. i

ic
Str.
P I NDAR
i ~oi;, c~oxooir:v:, Oo\:or
coo:o\~, |oioorvxoj:ovc~'vvir::q
xovo [:[a:-o Av ,o `Aoa~:ovcvr
cvj:\ro:;r' d:o:o\ov,
ovx'`O\vj:~:v:xo;a M:vv:o
zc ovcxo.j:\ovrco:v:j:ov
4jo:o;\0', `A-
oi, ~or x\vrovjo:o'd,,\:ov,
K\oj:ovoj' |oio', v:ov~j;o:vo:
x\~o:; ~o' v{o:; H:oo;
cor:ooxv:j:ovd0\ov~rjoo:o:-o:.
15 E7UKOOL'E vut Bergk: E7KOOL vvv codd.
23
Ev86g0L Bergk: Ev86gow codd.: Ev86gov Boeckh
206
OLYMPI AN i+
of the gods, hear me now-and may you, Thalia,
lover of song, look with favor upon this revel band,
stepping lightly in celebration ofkindly fortune. For I
have come,
singing of Asopichos in Lydian mode
1
as Ipractice my
art,
since the land of the Minyai is victorious at Olympia
because of you. To the black-walled house
of Persephone go now,
Echo, carrying the glorious news to his father,
so that when you see Kleodamos you can say that his son
has crowned his youthful hair in the famous valley of Pisa
with winged wreaths from the games that bring renown.
2
1 For the Lydian mode (or harmony), see uco +.+,Aristo
tle. Pol. i!+zb!c-!!,and Plato, cp.!eE.
" For other examples of dead relatives receiving word of the
victory, see O/. . -+and Pyth. .e-Ic!.
207
I
zc
II TOI ONI KAI
YTHIAN OOtS
PYTHIAN 1
Up

n winning the chariot race at the Pythian games in

470, HIeron, ruler of Syracuse, was announced as a citi
zen of Aitna, thereby publicizing his founding of that city
in 476/5 with 5,000 settlers from Syracuse and 5,000 from
the Peloponnesos (Diod. Sic. 1 1. 49). The ode celebrates
that founding in a broader context of harmonious peace,
achieved in the polis by good governance, maintained
against foreign aggression by resolute warfare, and, on a
cosmic scale, gained and held against the forces of disor
der by Zeus' power, exemplified by Typhos' confinement
under Mt. Aitna.
.
There has been much discussion concering the cam
paIgn alluded to in lines 50-55, where Hieron is com
pared to Philoktetes. One scholion (99a) says that it is Hi
eron'

intervention on behalf of Wester Lokroi against
AnasIlas of Rhegion in 477 (cf Pyth. 2. 18-20) , while
many moder scholars have argued that it is Hieron's de
f

at of Thasydaios of Akragas in 472. Most likely it is his

vIctory at K yme in 474, treated in lines 72-75.
The poem opens with a hymn to the Lyre, which has
the power to pacify Zeus' thunderbolt and eagle and calm
the spirits of Ares and the other gods ( 1-12). The effect
of the Muses' song on Zeus' enemies is one of terror es
pecially on Typhos, who, pinned down under Kyme (ear
Mt. Vesuvius) and Aitna, sends up eruptions of lava in his
210
PYTHI AN i
tormented frustration (13-28) . In the first of several
prayers articulating the poem (cf. 39, 46, 58, 63, 68, and
71), the poet asks for Zeus' favor and tells of Hieron's vic
tory in ilie Pythian chariot race, which he considers a
promising sign of the city's future success (29-38) .
Using an analog from javelin throwing, the poet
expresses a hope that he will outdistance his rivals in
praising Hieron (41-45), whose family has gained unsur
passed glory in warfare (46-50) , while he himself, like
Philoktetes, was summoned to campaign although ill
(50-55) .
An address to the Muse turs attention to Hieron's
son, Deinomenes, the titular king of Aitna (58-60). The
city was founded in the political tradition established by
ilie Dorian conquest of Greece (61-66); Zeus is asked to
assist its rulers in maintaining peace (67-70).
The poet prays that the Carthaginians and Etruscans
will remain peaceful (71-72), now that the latter have suf
fered defeat by Hieron at Kyme (72-75). A brief priamel
cites the Athenian victory at Salamis and the Spartan vic
tory at Plataia, and concludes with the Deinomenid vic
tory at Himera against the Carthaginians (75-80).
The fnal triad turns to Hieron's civic goverance,
prefaced by a concern that lengthy praise can cause
tedium or resentment (81-84). Citing the proverb "envy
(for success) is better than pity (for failure)," the poet
couches his praise in a series of exhortations to Hieron
recommending justice, truthfulness, accountability, and
generosity (85-94) . Two rulers from the previous century
are cited as positive and negative examples: Croesus is
well remembered for his generosity, whereas Phalaris'
cruelty is abominated (94-98) . Best of all is success com
bined with fame (99-100).
211
1. I EPfNI AI TN AI fI
APMATI
A' Xvoo j:,{, `An\\ovo; xoi/on\oxov
ovv:xov Mo:oo: xro:o: ro;dxovc
ev[o:;d,\oto;d,
nc|0o:ro: ' do:oi oooo
,o:o:onrovnoo:|o:
d[o\srcvj;c\c\:{o:o.
xoirovo/orov xcov:o: o[cvvvc:;
o/cvov nv;. cc: ' d:oox-
c:o; o/cr;, xc-
o:nrv,'doro0cvo\{o:;,
do;o/o:a:, xc\ooon:v ' cn|o::c\o:
d,xv\xor|,,\co:vx\:-
0o:,xorcvo; o exveooo:
v,o:vororo/oc, rco;
10 :noo:xoroocvo;. xoi,o [:o-
ro;A; roco:vcv0c \:nev
c,ovdx:, /o|vcxo|or
xeo, x\oe xoio::o:0\-
212
1. FOR HI ERON OF AITNA
WI NNER, CHARI OT RACE, 470 B. C.
Golden Lyre, rightful possession
1
of Apollo Str. 1
and the violet-haired Muses, to you the footstep listens
as it begins the splendid celebration,
and the singers heed your signals,
whenever with your vibrations you strike up
the chorus-leading preludes.
You quench even the warring thunderbolt
of ever fOwing fire; and the eagle sleeps
on the scepter ofZeus,
haVing relaxed his swif wings on either side,
the king of birds, for you have poured Ant. 1
over his curved head a black-hooded cloud,
sweet seal for his eyelids. And as he slumbers,
he ripples his supple back, held in check
by your volley of notes. For even powerful 10
Ares puts aside
his sharp-pointed spears and delights his heart
in sleep; and your shafts enchant
' Or possession that speaks on their behal The normal
meaning of <VI8LKO' is "advocate" (cf. C/. 9.98).
213
PI NDAR
,c:jvo;d|rc Aoro|-
ooo|[o0vx\vovrc Mo:oo:.
ooo e ~c|\yxcZcv;, drvovro:[o:
H:c|o:d|o:ro, ,o:rcxoiv:-
rovxor'do:xcro:,
15 ;r'cio|:Tor xciro:, 0co:vo\a;,
Tva; cxoro:roxo:o;rv~orc
K:\|xav 0cv~o\vevvo:vro: vvv,c :
ro|0' ovej Kvo; \:cjxc; o0o:
l:xc\|or'ovrov ~:c:
orjvo\o:cro x|ov ' ovo:|oovvc:,
20 v:coo' Arvo, v:crc; ::o;{c|o;0:o
B' ro; cjcv,o:ro:e:dn\rovvvjo;,vroro:
cxva:vo,o| ~orooi ' jo:o:v
e:~oo: ov xo~vov
o0o:' d\\'c: ojvo:o:v~rjo;
o|::ooo xv\:vovo\o{c;[o0ci-
ovjc:~vrov~\xoov:~or,.
25 xcivo ' 'Ao|oroa xjovvov; cjvcrv
c:vorrov;d:o~vc: rjo;e:
0ovoa:~joo:o0o:,
0ovo exoi~ojcvrovdxovoo:,
2
0 TavETT" Christ
26
TapeovTwv C, Gellius, Macrobius: Tap,ovTwV (
214
PYTRI AN 1
the minds of the deities as well, through the skill
of Leto's son 1 and of the deep-breasted Muses.
But those creatures for whom Zeus has no love are
terrified
when they hear the song of the Pierians, those on land
and in the overpowering sea,
and the one who lies in dread Tartaros, enemy of the
gods,
Typhos2 the hundred-headed, whom
the famous Cilician cave once reared; now, however,
the sea-fencing cliffs above Kyme
H well as Sicily weigh upon his shaggy chest,
and a skward column constrains him,
snowy Aitna, nurse of biting snow all year round,
fom whose depths belch forth holiest springs
of unapproachable fire; during the days rivers oflava
pour forth a blazing stream
of smoke, but in times of darkness
a rolling red flame carries rocks into the deep
expanse of the sea with a crash. 3
That monster sends up most terrible springs
of Hephaistos' fire-a portent
wondrous to behold,
a wonder even to hear of from those present-
such a one is confined within Aitna's dark and leafy peaks
Apollo; the echo of line 1 reinforces the closure of this part
of the hymn. " Typhos (also called Typhoeus and Typhon)
was the last enemy ofZeus' reign (cf. Res. Th. 820-880).
The alliteration of T'S and c's in the Greek is striking.
215
Ep. 1
15
20
Str. 2
25
Ant. 2
P I NDAR
xoin,o-jovoe oooo:o' no:vo-
-ovno-:xcx\:j:vovxcvrci.
c[, Zcv, -ivcy o:6:c:r,
!c ;-ovr' cnc:; oo;, cvxno:o,o|-
o;j:-onov, -ove:cno:v|o:
x\c:vo;oix:o-j cxvo:c:n\:r
,c|-ovo, IIv0:o; ' cvj x-
vdvc:nv:vd,,\-
\ov'Io:o;vnexo\\:v|xov
oo:. :ovo:oro:; ' dvo:naro j:;
c;n\ovdoj:vo:;nonoio: c\0civ
oo: co:x-o,
! xoirc\cvrcj-jov vo-ovrvciv. o e\,o;
-ov-o:;cniov:-v|o:;o:jc:
\o:novooco0o: o-cvo:o|v<:r>inno:;rc
x\vr:
xoiov:cvevo:; 0o\|o:;vvj:oo-:.
Avx:cxoiA\o:'d:ooov
doi[cIJo:oooovrc x:o:Koo-o\|ov:\ov,
+c c0c\oo:;rovro: r:0cvco::-cao:.
r ' cx0cov,o oo:oinooo:[o-o:;dcroi;,
xoi oooi xoicjoi:oroinc|,\oo-
oo|r' vv. :o'c,o xcivov
34
epXDpVD'" C(schol. Nem. I. +e;
3
7 <LV> suppl. Heyne
216
PYTHI AN I
ad the plain; and a jagged bed goads the entire length
of his back that lies against it.
Grant, OZeus, grant that Imay please you,
,'u who rule that mountain, the brow of a !c
.
fruitful land, whose neighboring cityl that bears
its name was honored by its illustrious founder,
when at the racecourse of the Pythian festival
the herald proclaimed it
in announcing Hieron's splendid victory
with the chariot. For seafaring men the first blessing Ep. 2
as they set out on a voyage is the coming of a favorable
wind, since it is likely that they will attain
a more successful retur at the end as well. And this !
saying,
given the present success, inspires the expectation that
hereafter the city will be renowned for crowns and horses
and its name honored amid tuneful festivities.
Lord of Lykia, OPhoebus, you who rule over Delos
and who love Parassos' Kastalian spring, 2
willingy take those things to heart and make this a land of +c
brave men.
For from the gods come all the means for human Str. !
achievements,
and men are bor wise, or strong of hand and eloquent.
In my eageress to praise
1 Hieron refounded Katane as Aitna (modem Catania) at the
base of Mt. Aitna in +/.
" Lykia, Delos, and Delphi (at Mt. Pamassos) are cult centers
of Apollo.
217
P I NDAR
o/voo:j:c:o:voc\noj:o:
j: o\xooovxov0'aoc|-' d,a-
vo;[o\cv{ono\j:orov,
45 oxoe|o:; dj:cvooo0'dv-|ov;.
c/,oono;jvo; o\[o:j:evoro
xoix-covoroocv0v-
ro:, xoj:rov' n|\oo:vnoooo:
xcvdj:vooc:cv,oo:;vno\j:o:o:j:oo:;
-\oj:ov:v noj:c:v', ov|'cv|-
oxov-o 0covno\oj:o:;r:j:ov
oovovr:;'E\\ovovjnc:
50 n\ovrovorcovoj:'d,oov. vvv,c j:o:
-ov1:\oxrgo|xovnov
o-orcv0y ovv ' dvo,x vo|\ov
xo|-:;ovj:c,o\vooovcv.
ov-ieAoj:v0cvc\xc:
rc:jj:cvovj:c-o[ooov-o;\0cv
]oo; dvr:0ov; Ho|ovro; v|ovro{-ov
;H:oj:oan\onjocv,-c\cvro-
ovrcnvov;Aovoo;,
5
2
/ETa{oUOVTa< anonymus Boeckhii: /E'aA( A)ou(u)oVTa<
codd.
1 Hieron. 2 Hieron's older brother Gelon joined with
Theron of Akragas to defeat a 100,000-man Carthaginian army at
the battle of Himera in 480. Hieron defeated the Etruscan navy
at the battle ofKyme near Naples in 474 (cf. Di'd. Sic. 11. 51).
218
PYTHI AN 1
that man,
1
I hope
I may not, as it were, throw outside the lists
the bronze-cheeked javelin I brandish in my hand,
but cast it far and surpass my competitors. 45
May all time to come keep on course, as heretofore,
his happiness and the gift of riches,
and provide him with forgetfulness of his hardships:
surely time would remind him in what battles in the Ant. !
course
of wars he stood his ground with steadfast soul,
when with divine help he and his family were winning
such honor as no other Hellene enjoys
as a proud crown for wealth.
2
Just now, indeed, 50
after the fashion of Philoktetes, 3
he has gone on campaign, and even one who was proud
found it necessary to fawn upon him as a friend.
They tell that the godlike heroes came to fetch him
from Lemnos, wasting from his wound,
Poias' archer son, Ep. !
who destroyed Priam's city and ended
the Danaans' toils;
Philoktetes, son of Poias, was bitten on the foot by a snake
at the beginning of the expedition against Troy. The Greek com
manders could not stand his suffering and abandoned him on
Lemnos. When all efforts to take the city proved futile, they
were forced to retrieve him, for Troy was destined to fall to him
with his bow. Like Philoktetes, Hieron, although ill, is sum
moned from an island to bring salvation to his fellow Greeks.
Two scholia (89ab) report that Hieron suffered from kidney
stones (or cystitis) and was carried into battle on a litter. The
"proud" person cannot be identifed.
219
PI NDAR
55 do0c:ce:jo-io|:o:, d\o o:|:o: :.
o-o' 'Ijov:0co;0o-jn\o:
-ovnjoono:-o:o:, :o-o:xo:ov
:ov;.
Mooo, xoinoAe:vovc: xc\ooo:
n|0co:no:vov-c0 |nnov
o' ovxd\\-:o:::xoo|ono-o;.
60 ,' nc:-' A:o;oo:\c|\:ovc{cvoc::o:
-qn\:vxc|:o:0co- ov: c\cv0c|
'T\\|o;o-0o; 'Io:cv:o:;
E

x-:ooc 0\ov-: oE I1ov\ov

xoio:'Hox\c:ov x,ovo:
o0o:; no To,-ov :o|o:-c; o|-
civc::-c0 oo:icvA|,::ov
65 Ao:c;. oor ' `Avx\o;o\:o:
I1::0c::vc:o:, \cvxona\o:
Tv:o:o:o0vo{o:
,c|-o:c;, :x\o;:0ocvo|o; .
Zcv -\c:', o|cie-o:ov-o:` ^:ono'o
ooo:do-o;xoioo:\cvo:r:ox|-
:c:r-vov\,o:d:0anov.
61
Ktlal F
l
y: KAL""" CEF
1 Or ftting opportunity for. " Deinomenes is Hieron's
son, whom Hieron made king of Aitna.
3 There were three Dorian tribes; one was descended from
Hyllos, Herakles' son, the other two from Pamphylos and
220
PYTHI AN 1
he walked with flesh infirm, but it was the work of destiny. 55
In like fashion may the god uphold Hieron
in the time that comes, and give him due measure of1 his
desires.
Muse, at the side of Deinomenes2 too
I bid you sing the reward for the four-horse chariot,
for a father's victory is no alien joy.
Come then, let us compose a loving hymn for Aitna's king, 60
for whom Hieron founded that city with divinely Str. 4
fashioned
freedom under the laws of Hyllos' rule,
because the descendants ofPamphylos
and indeed of Herakles' sons,
who dwell under the slopes ofTaygetos, are determined
to remain forever in the institutions of Agimios
as Dorians. 3 Blessed with prosperity, they came down 65
from Pindos and took Amyklai, to become much
acclaimed
neighbors of the Tyndaridai with white horses, 4
and the fame of their spears flourished.
Zeus Accomplisher, determine such good fortune as this Ant. 4
always for the citizens and their kings by Amenas' water
5
to be the true report of men.
6
Dymas, the sons of Aigimios. Mt. Taygetos overlooks Sparta.
*Pindar sketches the Doric conquest of Greece from the
north (the Pindos range) to Amyklai (near Sparta). The Tyn
daridai (Kastor and Polydeukes) are patrons of Sparta.
Atna is on the Amenas River.
Or my the true report of mn always assign such good for
tune as this.
221
70
75
80
L
PI NDAR
ovvro:r:vxcv,r d,
v|r'cn:rc\j:c:o;, ojto:,co:-
jovr~o:ovjtovovc;o:ov.
\:ooojto:vcvoov,Kjov:ov,]jtco:
oo xor'olxovo 1o:v:{o Tvoo-
vovr' d\o\oro; j, :ov-
o:orovov[j:v|ovrov~jo Kvo;,
oo 5voxoo:ovdooo0:rc;~0o:,
xvnjovdno:oa: o:vc:vv-
r[\c0'\:x:o:,
'E\' c{\xov[oc:o; ov\:o;. doj:o:
~o j:ev5o\ojtvo; `A0o:o:o::v
:o0:, cv5~r ' cjo~jo K:0o:a:o;
j:o:,
roo:Mca:xo:d,xv\ro{o:,
~ooerovcvo:dxrov
'Ijto~o:coo:vjtvov Ac:vojtvco;rc\oo:;,
rovc{o:r'd'dcr ~o\cj::ov d:a:
xo:ro:.
xo:o:c|0,{oa, ~o\\a:~c:oro ovvrovvoo:;
cv[oc, j:c:ovc~cro:jtoo;d:0a-
~ov d~o,oxjo;djt[\v:c:
o|o:;roc:o;c\~:o;,
75 apEOfWt Dawes: aipEo/at ( atpEo/at) codd.
77 EPEw 7PO EF: EPEW Ta" 7PO reIl.: apa Ti"
Wilamowitz: a7o Ti" Stone
222
PYTHI AN i
For with your help a man who is ruler
and instructs his son can in honoring his people
turn them to harmonious peace.
I beseech you, son of Kronos, grant that the war cry
of the Phoenicians 1 and Etruscans may remain quietly
at home, now that they have seen their aggression
bring woe to their fleet before K yme,
such things did they suffer when overcome by the leader
of the Syracusans, who cast their youth
from their swifly sailing ships into the sea
and delivered Hellas from grievous slavery. I shall earn
from Salamis2 the Athenians' gratitude
as my reward, and at Sparta Ishall tell of the battle
before Kithairon, 3
in which conflicts the curve-bowed Medes suffered
defeat;
but by the well-watered bank of the Himeras Ishall pay
to Deinomenes' sons4 the tribute of my hymn,
which they won through valor, when their enemies were
defeated.
If you should speak to the point by combining the strands
of many things in brief, less criticism follows from men,
for cloying excess
dulls eager expectations,
' I.e. Carthaginians.
2 The Athenians took credit for the Greek victory over the
Persian navy at the battle of Salamis in 480.
At the battle of Plataia near Mt. Kithairon, the Spartans
defeated the Persian army in 479.
*This Deinomenes is the father of Gelon and Hieron.
223
70
Ep. 4
75
80
Str. 5
PI NDAR
dora:' dxooxvav0vov[ov-
vc:\:or'o\ooon' d\\or|o:;.
85 d\\' o;, xjooov,oo/xj:ov0:o;,
no|c:xo\. :ej:o:xo|
no\|oror: dcv-
cenjo; xov:\xcvc,\oooo:.
c xo\ovo:noo:0vooc:, j:,oro:cro:
no o0c:. no\\ov j:|o; oo| no\\o
rvc;doro:;n:oro:
eo:0c'v,noj:vov,
90 cncj :\c;dxoo:co:o/-
cx\vco, xj::c \|ovon:o:;
|c:'oncj xv[c:; dvgj
|or|o:d:cj:c:. j: o\o0j;,
o|\c, xco:vvron-
\o:; n:0j:[oro:ovj:o o;
oIo:dno:ovovd:a:|o:ro:j:o:vc:
xo\o,|o:;xodo:o;. ov0|vc:Ko|-
oov:\o:dcr.
95 ro:ev o\x xovro :\o :o:
0o 4\oo xorc:no:r ;,
85 KPE(OV Stobaeus cod. S: KPEt<OV CE'EIF: KPE(WV ,
Stobaeus codd. MA ( KPEt<WV Ei schol. Thuc.)
92 aVE/LoEv Callierges: aVE/LOEV 7EnluaL, codd. I EVTpa7E
AOL, caFy: EVTpa7EAo C
b
E
Cf. Hdt. 3.52.5.
224
PYTHI AN 1
and townsmen are grieved in their secret hearts
especially when they hear of others' successes.
But nevertheless, since envy is better than pity, 1 85
do not pass over any noble things. Guide your people
with a rudder of justice; on an anvil of truth
forge your tongue.
Even some slight thing, you know, becomes important Ant. 5
i it fies out from you. You are the steward of many
things;
many are the sure witnesses for deeds of both kinds.
2
Abide in fourishing high spirits,
and if indeed you love always to hear pleasant things said 90
about you, do not grow too tired of spending,
but let out the sail, like a helmsman,
to the wind. Do not be deceived,
Lmy friend, by shameful gains,
for the posthumous acclaim of fame
alone reveals the life of men who are dead and gone Ep. 5
to both chroniclers and poets. The kindly
excellence of Croesus 3 does not perish,
but universal execration overwhelms Phalaris, 4 that man 95
of pitiless spirit who bured men in his bronze bull,
2 A euphemism for good and evil deeds.
3 Croesus, king of Lydia c. 550, was fabulously wealthy and a
great benefactor of Greeks, especially of Apollo's shrine at Del
phi (cf. Bacch. 3.23-2).
4 Phalaris, tyrant of Akragas c. 550, was exceptionally cruel.
He roasted his victims in a bronze bull, so constructed that their
screams sounded like the bellOwing of the beast.
225
P I NDAR
OUSE VtV COPlt""E, lwpoCtat KoWaVtav
laA(aKav 1atSWV oapourt SEKOVTat.
TO S 1a(EtV Ei 1PWTOV &E(Awv
Ei S' aK0EtV SEVTEpa IOtp" alCOTEpOUrt S' avp
100 C, &v "KVp(n Kat gAn, (TEcavov VlUTTOV SESEKTat.
226
PYTHI AN 1
and no lyres in banquet halls welcome him
mgentle fellowship wth boys' voices.
Success is the first of prizes;
and renown the second portion; but the man who
meets with both and gains them has won the highest
crown.
100
227
PYTHI AN 2
Pythian 2 is one of the most difcult Pindaric odes to
interpret. The venue of the chariot victory is not
specified, and none of the possibilities proposed by the
scholia (Delphi, Nemea, Athens, and Olympia) or by
modern scholars (Thebes and Syracuse) is compelling.
Furthermore, if the poem's one historical allusion in
18-20 refers (as the scholia claim) to Hieron's protection
of Wester Lokroi against Anaxilas of Rhegion in 477,
then it merely provides a terinus post quem for the
poem's composition. Another difculty is that the
extensive narrative of Ixon's ingratitude and punishment
seems excessively negative for a celebratory ode; in
contrast, in al. 1 Tantalos' malfeasance is counter
balanced by Pelops' heroic achievement. The meaning of
the allusions to this poem as "Phoenician merchandise"
(67) and a "Kastor song" (69) remains unclear. Finally,
the unparalleled concluding section beginning at 69
wars against the dangers posed by slanderers, flatterers,
and envious men in a series of rapidly shifting images that
contain many obscure details.
The poet says that he comes from Thebes to Syracuse,
bringing news of Hieron's chariot victory, in which he was
assisted by Artemis, Hermes, and Poseidon ( 1-12). In a
summary priamel Pindar notes that many kings have been
228
PYTHI AN 2
praised for their achievements and gives two examples:
Kinyras of Cyprus and Hieron (13-20).
Ixion, as he turs on his wheel, advises mortals to
repay benefactors (21-24), a lesson he learned when,
despite his happy life with the immortals, he tried to rape
Hera. Zeus deceived him by fashioning a cloud that
looked like Hera, and for his punishment bound him to a
four-spoke wheel (25-41) . Meanwhile, the cloud bore
Kentauros, who mated with Magnesian mares and sired
the Centaurs (42-48) . The narrative concludes with the
observation that the gods fulfll all their designs (49-52).
The poet states that he must avoid being a censurer
like Archilochos; instead, he takes god-given wealth as his
theme (52-56). Hieron provides him a clear example,
whom no Greek has ever surpassed in wealth or honor
(57-61) . He is extolled for his glorious military cam
paigns and for his mature wisdom (62-67).
After bidding Hieron farewell in the style of hymns,
the poet compares his poem thus far to Phoenician
merchandise (perhaps because it is of high quality and
was paid for) and asks Hieron to look favorably upon the
forthcoming Kastor song (67-71). He urges Hieron to
imitate Rhadamanthys and not be deceived by slanderers
(72-78) . The poet declares himself above such behavior
(79-80), and abjures deceitful flattery, being instead a
straightforward friend or foe of a sort that excels under
every form of government (81-88). Envious men are not
satisfied with god-given success and injure themselves by
their own schemes (88-92) . We must accept the
constraints of our situation, for resisting is futile; the poet
hopes to enjoy the company of good men (93-96).
229
2. I EP!NI :TP AKO:I !I
APMATI
A' Mc,o\on\:cJ lvxooo:,[o0v~o\ov
-cvo'Aco, d:a:ivvov-co:ooo-
o:o:v:o:-joo|,
v:v-c-o:\:noovdnoOy[o:o:
\ojoo:d,,c\|ov-c-oo|oc\c\|0o:o;
cvjo-o; 'Io: cvxo-o:
-y\ov,o:v dvyocv `O-v,|ov o-cvo:,
~o-o|oco`Aj-:o; oovx-c
xc|vod,o:oo:vcvcjoi~o:x:\o-
v|ov cooocne\ov;.
cni,o |oo:o~o0:o;ci:v
10 -'c:o,av:o'Eoo|,\cv-o-|0yo:xo-
o:, {co-ov-ov|o:
v0' o-onc:o:\::oxo-o{cv,:vj
o0vo inn:ov, oo-|o:vo:cvv[|o:xo\o: 0cv.
' An island just off Syracuse, sacred to Artemis (cf. Nem.
1. 1-).
" The language perhaps indicates that Hieron closely super-
230
2. FOR HI ERON OF SYRACUS E
WINNER, CHARIOT RACE
Lgreat city of Syracuse, sanctuary of
Ares mighty in war, divine nourisher of men
and horses delighting in steel,
to you I come from shining Thebes bearing this song
and its news of the four-horse chariot that shakes the
earth,
in which Hieron, possessor of fine chariots, prevailed
and with far-shining garlands crowned Ortygia, 1
abode of the river goddess Artemis, with whose help
he mastered in his gentle hands
those fillies with their embroidered reins, 2
Str. 1
5
because with both hands the virgin archeress3 Ant.
and Hermes, lord of the games, place on them the shining 10
harness, whenever he yokes the strong horses
to the polished car and to the chariot that controls the bit,
and calls upon the wide-ruling god who wields the
trident. 4
vised the training of the team, not that he himself drove it; rich
men retained their own charioteers (cf. Pyth. .z!;. The only
mention of a victor driving his own chariot is at Isth. 1 . 15.
3 Artemis. 4 Poseidon, a patron god of horses.
231
PI NDAR
\\o -:;c-\coocv \o;d:
cvoo [oo:\cvo:v vov no::' dc-o;.
15 xc\oov-:j:ev dj: K::vo: no\\x:;
oj:o:Kvn|a:, -ovovoooi-o no-
:a;c|\' `An\ov,
:cox-|\o: `Ajo|; ,c:ej:;
|\a:no|-::o; dv-,ovn:oj::o
oe ', oAc:voj:vc:cnoi, Zcv|onjo j:ov
Aoxj;co0:o;dnvc:,
no\cj:|a:xoj:-ovcdj:o:a:
20 :o -cov v:oj::v oxcio'doo\;.
0cov' cc-j:oi; `I|o:oo:-v[jo-oi;
\,c:vcvn-cjcv-:-jo
no:- xv\:vj:cvov
-ovcvcj,-ov d,o:oi;
dj:o:[oi;cno:oj:vov-|:co0o:.
B' j:o0ce oo;. cvj:cvoo:,o nooKo:|o:;
26 ,\vxvvc\a:[|o-ov,j:oxo:ov onj:c:vcv o\-
[o:, j:o:voj::o:;oo|:
Ho; -' cooo-o,-ov ^:o; cv:o \o:
no\v,o0c; d\v:v[j:;c/;dv:onco:o:
ojocv -oeno0a:co:x-'d:
17 7oi :oo;codd.: ot:po; Spigel
28 7oAvyaBEe, ,: 7oAvyafEo, f lmepqiaAov ,: v7epa-
qavov reIL
232
PYTHI AN 2
Various men pay the tribute of a resounding hymn
to various kings as recompense for their excellence.
The voices of the Cyprians often celebrate 15
Kinyras, 1 whom golden-haired Apollo
heartily befriended,
the priestly favorite of Aphrodite, for reverent gratitude Ep. 1
goes forth in one way or another in retur for
someone's friendly deeds.
But you, Ison of Deinomenes, the maiden of Wester
Lokroi invokes in front of her house,
for after desperate toils of war
she has a look of security in her eyes thanks to your 20
power.
2
They say that by the gods' commands Ixion speaks
these words to mortals as he turns
in every direction on his winged wheel:
go and repay your benefactor
with deeds of gentle recompense.
He leared this clearly, for having won a pleasant Str. z
existence
among Kronos' beneficent children, he could not sustain 26
his happiness for long, when in his maddened mind
he fell in love with Hera, who belonged to Zeus for joyous
acts oflove. But insolence drove him to arrogant delusion,
and qUickly suffering what was fitting, the man
'A mythical king of Cyprus, the island sacred to Aphrodite.
According to the scholia, when Anaxilas of Rhegion threat
ened Lokroi with war (in 477), Hieron sent Chromios to tell him
to stop or Hieron would attack him.
233
P I NDAR
30 c{o:c-o:Oc0o:. o:vo ' dn\ox:o:
cjnovo: -c\0ov-: -ovga;-:
cv\av oo nja-:o-o;ovx-c
-:o; cnc:{c 0:o-o;,
-:-cc,o\oxcv0cooovno-c0o\o:;
A:o;xo:-:vcnc:o-o. xo-'ov-ovo|-
cnov-o;oo:-ov.
35 cv:ono-ono:c;xox-o-'d0o:
[o\o: no-xoi-ovixov-' c~c
vc\noc\{o-o
}cvo; ,\vxvc0nov::; d:
cio;,ooncoo--njncv Ovo::o:
0v,o-:K:ov v-c \ov ov- 0oo:
40 Zy:o;no\o:, xo\o:no. -ov -c-
-x:oo:no{c cov
cov o\c0ov ,' cv ' dvx-o:o: ,vano:;
ncoo:-: no\vxo:vov d:{o-'d,,c\:o:.
vcvo:Xo:-a:-xcv,:o:onc:o\o:
:o xoij:vovov-'El d:-
o:,cooo:o-' cv 0covvo:;
-ovvvoc-o:ooKv-ovo:, ;
3
0 EAE Moschopulus: EXE Thomas Magister: f(XE vett.
34
KaT' aVTOV Thiersch: Ka8' aVTov codd.
3
6 7OTt Kat TOV tKOVT' codd. : alii alia (locus conclamatus,
Schroeder)
3
8 ovpav,iv codd.: ovpaviov schol.: Ovpavi8a Mommsen
234
PYTHI AN 2
won an extraordinary torment. His two offenses 30
bring this pain: the one, because that hero
was the very first to bring upon mortals the stain of
kindred blood, not without guile;
1
the other, because once in the great depths of her Ant. 2
chambers
he made an attempt on Zeus' wife. One must always
measure everything by one's own station.
Aberrant acts oflove cast one into the thick 35
of trouble; they came upon him too, because he
lay with a cloud,
an ignorant man in pursuit of a sweet lie,
for it resembled in looks the foremost heavenly goddess,
Kronos' daughter. Zeus' wiles set it
as a snare for him, a beautiful afiction. The man made 40
that binding to the four spokes
his own destruction. 2 After falling into inescapable Ep. 2
fetters, he received that message meant for everyone.
Without the Graces' blessing, that unique mother3
bore a unique son, who was overbearing and respected
neither among men nor in the ways of the gods.
She who reared him called him Kentauros. He mated
'To avoid paying the price for his bride, Ixion contrived to
have his father-in-law Deioneus fall into a pit of buring char
coal.
Ixion's punishment mimics the iynx, a love charm consisting
of a wryneck bound to a wheel with four spokes (cf. Pyth.
4. 213-219).
3 The cloud.
235
P I NDAR
45 inno:o: Mo,:-|coo:v cc|,:v-' cvHo\|ov
ovoi;,cx' c,vov-o o-o-;
0ovj:oo-;, do-o:;
oj:oio:-oxcvo:, -oj:o-
-0cj:ev x-o,-o ' nc0c no-;.
r ' 0co;no:cn c\n|coo:-xo dvvc-o:,
50 0c;, C xo n-cjcv-' o|c-o: x|c, xo 0o\oo-
ooio:nooj:c|[c-o:
c\i:o, xov::a:-o'xoj:c[o-ov,
c-jo:o:exvo; d,oo:noax'. cj:eejcav
cv,cv xo; d::o: xoxo,o:o:
clo:,o cxo;cov-on\'cvdj:oov|
55 o,cjov `Aj|\oov[ov\,o:; 0co:v
n:o:vj:cvov-o n\ov-civeovv-v
n-j:ov oo|o; :o-o:.
TU eoo v:vc;c\cv0 jcvncnoci:,
nv-ov:xvj:cno\\o:ev evo-c:a: d,v:-
ovxoo-o-ov. c|-:;
x-c-coo|-c xoncj-:j: \,c
60 c-cjv-:v' d:' 'E\o -ovno:0c,c:o0o:
vj-cjov,
ov:non|:no\o:j:o:ci xc:c.
cvo:0o' d:o[ooj:o:o-\ovd' dc-
xc\oa:. vc-o-:j:ev d,c 0oo;
cvovno\j:ov 0cvoj:xooe-ov
dnc|o:o{o:cvci:,
236

'l'
l
PYTHI AN 2
with Magnesian mares in the foothills of Pe lion,
and from them issued a wondrous
herd of offspring
similar to both parents,
with the mother's features below, the father's above.
The god accomplishes every purpose just as he wishes,
the god, who overtakes the winged eagle
and surpasses the seagoing
dolphin, and bows down many a haughty mortal,
while to others he grants ageless glory. But Imust
flee the persistent bite of censure,
for standing at a far remove Ihave seen
Archilochos 1 the blamer often in straits as he fed on
dire words of hatred. And possessing wealth that is
granted by destiny is the best object of wisdom.
You clearly have it to display with a liberal spirit,
lord and master of many streets with their fne
battlements and of a host of men. If anyone
at this time claims that in point of wealth and honor
any other man in Hellas from the past is your superior,
with an empty mind he wrestles in vain.
I shall embark upon a garlanded ship2 to celebrate
your excellence. Courage is a help to youth
in fearsome wars, and from them I proclaim that you
have won that boundless fame of yours,
1 Archilochos (H. c. 650 B. C. ) was notorious for his bitter
invective. Pindar compares his singing Hieron's praise to
sailing on a festive ship. He later uses the analogy of a Phoenician
merchant ship (67).
237
45
Str. 3
50
55
Ant. 3
60
PI NDAR
65 -oe: cv |nnooo:o:vvjcoo:o:cvov,
-o ' cv ncoo:o: [ov\oienjco[v-co:
dx::v:o:coino;<oe>no-inv-o\,ov
cno:vcvnoov-:o-
c -ce:xo-o 4o:v:ooo:cno\v
\o; v~eno\:os \o;nnc-o:
-o Koo-cav'cvA|o\:coo:ooi; 0\a:
70 0yoov:vcn-ox-vnov
:,,o; dv-c:o;.
,vo:', olo;cooi o0a:.
xo\;-o:n|0a:noono:o:v, o|c:
xo\;. / e 'Poo:0v;cnno,c:, jcvov
\oc xonovday-ov,ov' dn-o:o: 0v-
o:-jnc-o: :o0cv,
75 olo:0vov no\o:; cnc-' o|ci[o-.
oo:xoxo:do-o:;:o[o\:ovv~oc;,
,oi;d-c:e;d\anxovxc\o:.
xc:e-:\o-ov-o xco\o:-c\0c:,
-c,o c::\a:nvovco:oo;[o0v:
80 oxcvo; c-o;, d[no-o; cl: c\-
\o;;v~ecjxo;\o;.
66
<(b suppl. Bergk
72 YEVQt' Triclinius: YEVOt o' B: YEVOW o' '1
75 fpoT0 Heindorf: fPOT'V codd.
79 fae.v Bergk: fae. codd.
80 .rIL, Schnitzer: <lILL codd.
238
PYTHI AN 2
while campaigning both among horse-driving cavalrymen Ep. 3
and among infantrymen. And your counsels, mature
beyond your years, permit me to give you words of praise 66
without any risk up to the full account. Farewell.
This song
1
is being sent like Phoenician
merchandise over the gray sea,
but as for the Kastor song in Aeolic strains, may you
gladly
look with favor upon it, the glory of2 the seven-stringed 70
lyre, as you greet it.
Become such as you are, having learned what that is.
Pretty is an ape in the eyes of children, always
pretty, but Rhadamanthys has fared welP because Str. 4
he was allotted the blameless fruit of good judgment
and within his heart takes no delight in deceptions,
such as ever attend a mortal through whisperers' wiles. 75
Purveyors of slander are a deadly evil to both parties,
4
with temperaments just like those of foxes.
But what profit really results from that cunning?
N one, for just as when the rest of the tackle labors
in the depths of the sea, like a cork Ishall go un dipped 80
over the surface ofthe brine. `
"This song" apparently refers to the preceding part of the
ode, whereas the Kstoreion, a song in celebration of an eques
trian victory (cf. Isth. 1. 16), presumably refers to the remainder
of the poem. One implication may be that the frst part is "con-
tractual," the second sent "gratiS. " Or in honor of
ef. OZ. 2. 75-76. According to Plato, Gorgias 523E, he
became one of the judges in Hades along with Aiakos and Minos.
* I.e. to those whom they slander and to those who believe
them. The image is that of a cork floating on the surface
while the weights and nets sink into the sea.
239
PI NDAR
dv:o-o' ~o;cx[o\vxjo-o:ovcvd,o0o;
\:ov do-v oa;j:o:oo|:a:~o-iv-o; -
-ov,v :o~\x:.
ovo:j:-o 0oo;. |\ovy:\v
~o-i' c0ov-'c0o;cov\vxo:o
|xovvo0cvooj:o:,
85 \\'\\o-c~o-ov oo;oxo\:o;.
cv~v-ovj:ovcv0v,\oooo; d:~ojc,
~oo -vo::|:, n-ov o \[o;o-jo-;,
o-ov~\:vo:oooi-yjov-:.
~jo; 0cov ovxc|(:v,
O dvc:-o-ej:ev-oxc:vov,-r' ov0' c-o:;
oxv,o xvo;. d\\' ov-ov-o :o:
90 /o|vc:0ovcor o-0 j:o; -:vo;c\xcvo:
~:ooo;cv~o{ovc\-
xo;v:oo:c~jo0cxo|,
~ivooo o:-|:y-|ov-o:-vv.
jcv' c\ojo; c~ovv:ov\o[:-o v,:
d,c ~o-ixv-jov-o:
95 \ox-:j:v-\0c:
\:o0yj;oo; :-
-o'cyj:-o;d,o0o;oj::\cv.
82 amv Heyne: ayav codd.
90 TLVE, Sheppard
90-91 Eho/LEVO, . . . EVfEV B
240
PYTHI AN 2
The deceitful citizen cannot utter an effective word Ant. 4
among good men, but nonetheless he fawns on all
and weaves his utter ruin.
I have no part in his impudence. Let me befriend a
friend,
but against an enemy, I shall, as his enemy,
run him down as a wolf does,
stalking now here, now there, on twisting paths. 85
And under every regime the straight-talking man excels:
ma tyranny, when the boisterous people rule,
or when the wise watch over the city.
One must not contend with a god,
who at one time raises these men's fortunes, then at other Ep. 4
times
gives great glory to others. But not even that
soothes the mind of envious men; by pulling, as it were, 90
a measuring line too far,
they fx a painful wound in their own hearts, 1
before they gain all that they contrive in their thoughts.
It helps to bear lightly the yoke one has taken upon one's
neck, and kicking against the goad,
you know, becomes 95
slippery path. May it be mine
to find favor with the good and keep their company.
'"The measuring-line has two sharp pegs. The measurer
fastens one into the ground and pulls the cord tight, in order to
stretch it over more space than it ought to cover (7Eptas). In
so doing he runs the peg into his own heart" (Gildersleeve).
Others see here the image of a plumbline.
241
PYTHIAN 3
The occasion of this ode is not a recent victory, but
Hieron's illness. The poem was probably classed among
the epinikia by the Alexandrian editors because of the
passing mention of a former Pythian victory won by
Hiero's horse Pherenikos (73-74) . It was composed
sometime between 476, when Hieron founded Aitna (cf.
69), and 467, when he died.
The frst 79 lines comprise an elaborate sequence in
ring form that begins with the poet's impossible wish that
Cheiron were still alive and ends with his stated intention
to pray to the Mother Goddess, presumably for Hieron's
health. In between, he tells the stories of Koronis, mother
of Asklepios, and of Asklepios himself, narratives that
show the dire consequences of discontent with one's lot
and motivate some of Pindar's best known verses: "Do
not, my soul, strive for the life of the immortals . . . "
(61-62). The last part of the ode (80-115) offers consola
tion to Hieron.
The poet wishes that Cheiron the Centaur still lived
on Pelion, as when he raised the healer Asklepios ( 1-7).
Koronis was killed by Artemis before giving birth to
Asklepios, Apollo's son, because she slept with Ischys the
Arcadian after becoming pregnant with the god's child
she was like many who foolishly despise what is nearby
242
PYTHI AN 3
and seek what is distant and futile (8-23) . When Apollo
leared of her perfidy, he sent Artemis to cause a plague
that killed her and many others, but rescued his son from
her body as it lay on the buring pyre and gave him to
Cheiron to instruct in medicine (24-6) . Asklepios was a
very successful healer, but when he fell prey to the allure
of gold and brought a man back to life, Zeus destroyed
patient and physician with a thunderbolt (47-58).
Mortals should know their limits, and the poet urges
his soul to be content with what is in its power (59-62). If,
however, Cheiron were alive, and if Pindar could have
charmed him with his songs to provide another Asklepios,
Lu wOu!OLavucODutOb)tacuSu, Dt1D_1D_ 11utOD Lua!tL
and a victory celebration as in the past (63-76). But as it
is, he will offer his prayers to the Mother Goddess
(77-79).
Pindar reminds Hieron of what former poets (i.e.
Homer) have taught: that the gods grant two evils for
each good. Fools find this hard to bear, but good men
make the best of their good fortune (80-83) . As a ruler,
Hieron has had a great portion of happiness (84-86). Not
even Peleus and Kadmos, whose weddings were attended
by the gods, experienced unlimited good; they suffered
through the misfortunes of their offspring (86-103). A
man must make do with what the gods give him, for noth
ing remains constant ( 103-106). In a series of first person
statements of general import, the poet declares that he
shall be small or great, depending on fortune, but hopes
to use what wealth he has to gain fame ( 107-111) . The
names of Nestor and Sarpedon endure through epic
poetry; few are those whose excellence is preserved in
song ( 112-115).
243
3. I EP!NI :TP AKO:I !I
KEAHTI
A' ' H0c\o:Xc|a: xc1:\\v|o:,
c/jcv-ov0'c-o;dno,\aooo;
xo:vovcv{oo0o:no;,
ac:v-ovdno:j:cvov,
Ovo:|o ,:o:cvvj:ov-o K:ov,
[oo:o|-' jc:vIIo\|ov ' d,-cov
5 :o: ov-' d:a: |\ov oo; co:0cvno-
-x-ovo :av:|o;
]j:cjov,voxo;`Aox\on:v,
]joono:roono:d\x-o :ooa:.
-ovj:ev cv|nnov1\c,vo0v,-y
niv-c\ooo:j:o-jon\ ov:`E\c:0v|-
g, oj:cioovoo:;
10 -{o:o:vn' `Aj-:o;
c/;`A|oj:ovcv0o\j:xo-[o,
-vo:; `An\\ovo;. \o; ' ovxd\|0a;
,|vc-o:co|a::;. ' dno\ov|{o:ov:v
dj:n\ox|o:o:jcvov,
\o: ol:yoc:,j:o:xv[o:no-j;,
1 XEipWlU eodd.: XiPWlU Sehroeder
244
3. FOR HI ERON OF SYRACUS E
WI NNER, S INGLE-HORSE RACE
I wish that Cheiron-
if it is right for my tongue to utter
that common prayer-
were still living, the departed son of Philyra
and wide-ruling offspring of Ouranos' son Kronos,
and still reigned in Pelion's glades, that wild creature
who had a mind friendly to men. I would have him be
as he was when he once reared the gentle craftsman
of body-strengthening relief from pain, Asklepios,
the hero and protector from diseases of all sorts.
Before the daughterl of the horseman Phlegyas
could bring him to term with the help of Eleithuia,
goddess of childbirth, she was overcome
by the golden arrows of Artemis
in her chamber and went down to the house of Hades
through Apollo's designs. The anger ofZeus' children
is no vain thing. Yet she made light of it
in the folly of her mind and
unknown to her father consented to another union,
' His mother, Koronis (ef. Hes.frr. 59-60 and h. Hor. 16).
245
Str. 1
5
Ant.
10
P I NDAR
15 xoio:oooo0covxo0oi
ovx co'c\0cv-nc(o::vj::o:,
ovoe noj:a:a:/oo:vj:c:o:a:, \:xc;
olono0:o::\o:ooc-oo:
conc:o:; vnoxovj:-' doo; d\\ -o:
20 o-orodncv-ov oloxoino\\oin0o:
oev\o:cvd:0eno:o:j:o-o:rorov,
oo; o/ov:a: cn:ejm non-o:vc:ronjoo,
j:c-oj:evm 0yjcvovdxv-o:; c\n|oo.
B' oc -o:-ov-o:j:c,\o:dv-o:
25 xo\\:nn\ov \j:o Koa::o; c\0:-
-o;,ocv:o0y {:ov
\x-joaodn'`Axo:o;.
ov' \o0coxonv cv ' oj:y\ox
Hv0a::-ooo:;:c::oov[oo:\cv;
Ao{:o;, xooov:no' cv0v-- ,:ao:n:0a:,
~v-o/ovr: v
cva:' ovn-c-o:,x\n-c:rj:o
30 ov 0co; ov[oro;jyo:;ov-c[ov\oi;.
xoi--cyvov;' Iovo;E/\o-:o
18 Eratpq (vel EratpU";) West
24
TUVTUV codd.: TOtUVTW, Cac: TOtUVTUV schol.
28 YVW/u( t)
246
PYTRI AN 3
although she had previously lain with long-haired
Phoebus
and was carrying the god's pure seed.
But she could not wait for the marriage feast to come
or for the sound of full-voiced nuptial hymns with such
endearments as unmarried companions are wont to utter
in evening songs. No, she was in love with things
remote-such longings as many others have suffered,
for there is among mankind a very foolish kind of person,
who scorns what is at hand and peers at things far away,
chasing the impossible with hopes unfulfilled.
Indeed, headstrong Koronis of the beautiful robes
fell victim to that great delusion, for she slept
in the bed of a stranger,
who came from Arcadia.
But she did not elude the watching god, for although he
was in flock-receiving Pytho as lord of his temple,
Loxias perceived it, convinced by the surest confidant,
his all-knowing mind.
1
He does not deal in falsehoods, and neither god
nor mortal deceives him by deeds or designs.
And at this time, when he knew of her sleeping with the
According to Res. fr 60, a raven told Apollo; Pindar's
Apollo is omniscient.
247
Ep.
16
20
Str. 2
25
30
Ant. 2
P I NDAR
c:v:orxo:ror0cj::vrc \ov, ~j:-
cvxoo:,vrorj:vc:
0v:o:oor dj:oj:oxr
c; Aoxc:or, c~ci~ooBo[o;
xjj:voio xc:~o0vo; o:j:ov' crcjo;
35 c;xoxoro;coj:oor vo, xoi,c:rvov
~o\\oi c~ovov, j:o
' 0oc ~o\\ov' ojc: ~vj c cv;
o~jj:oro; cv0ojovd:oroocv\or.
d\\' c~circ:c:0oovcv v\:r
ov,,ovoxovor, o\o;' dj:oj:cv
40 \[or'Ao:orov,rr'c:~cv`A~\\ar Ovxr:
r\ooj:ov ,vo;j:or\ooo
o|xrorr 0orrj:orj;[oc:om~0.
;ro [j:or: ' cr~jar xo~oi'cx vcxjov
~ooc xooj:ro ' ovr oooc ~v.
45 xo: vv M,r: jov~jc Kcvrovjo
~o\v~j:oro; dv0a~oo:v |oo0ovoov;.
I rov;j:ev or, oooj:\orovrovrov
c\xov vrovc;, ~o\ o\x j:\ rcrjoj:vo
cjj:r\c[\,
50 0cjv~vi~cj0j:cvoj:o;
c:j:ov, \voo;\\ord\\o:ovdov
33 Bv[ourav Wilhelm Schulze: Bvourav codd.
3
6 OPH Moschopulus: EV OpE< vett.
41
a/ov cacD: a/ov BCPc: E/OV EF
248
PYTHI AN 3
stranger Ischys, son of Elatos, and her impious deceit,
he sent his sister
raging with irresistible force
to Lakereia, for the maiden was living
by the banks of Lake Boibias. 1 An adverse fortune
tured her to ruin and overcame her; and many neighbors 35
shared her fate and perished with her.
Fire that springs from one
spark onto a mountain can destroy a great forest.
But when her relatives had placed the girl Ep. 2
within the pyre's wooden wall and the fierce blaze
of Hephaistos ran around it, then Apollo said: "No longer 40
shall I endure in my soul to destroy my own offspring
by a most pitiful death along with his mother's heavy
suffering."
Thus he spoke, and with his first stride came and
snatched the child
from the corpse, while the burning fame parted for him.
He took him and gave him to the Magnesian Centaur 45
for instruction in healing the diseases that plague men.
Now all who came to him aficted with natural sores Str. 3
or with limbs wounded by gray bronze
or by a far-flung stone,
or with bodies wrac ked by summer fever 50
or winter chill, he relieved of their various ills and
' In southeaster Thessaly, near Magnesia, where Cheiron
lived.
249
PI NDAR
o,cv, -ov;evo\oxoi; cnoo:oi; nov,
-ov; OE nooovon|-
vov-o;, ,v|o:;ncn-ovnv-o0c:
j:oxo, -ov;e-oj:oi;o-oocv0ov
a\\o xc:xoioo|o c-o:.
55 -oncvxoixcivov,:o:j::o0
jvoo; cv coiv ovc|;
:' cx 0o:-ovxoj:|oo:
\ox-o coi ' o Ko:|a:
|o:;:'aj:oiv aj:nvoovo-jvovx0c\cv
xo;, oua:excovvo;cvox:j:cvj:jov.
g-oco:x-ono
o:j:vovj:oo-cvj:cv 0:o-oi; oo|v
60 ,vv-o-o no no;, olo; c/j:ev ooo;.
j:, |\ov, [|ov0:o-o:
oncvc,-ov' j:nox-ovv-\c:j:oo::.
c| eoaa:v-o:vo:' -: Xc:ov, xo|-|o:
|\-o: <cv> 0vj: j:c\:,vc; j:vo:
65 j:-co:-|0cv, /o--o|xvv:vn:0ov
xo|vvvco\oio:nooociv :o:v0cjj:o: voov
-::oAo-otoxcx\j:vovno-o;.
xo|xcvcv:ovoivj:\ov`Io:|o:-j::a: 0\oooo:
`A0o:oo:cni x:o:no' A/-voiovvov,
6
4
<El> suppl. Moschopulus
250
PYTHI AN 3
restored them; some he tended with calming
incantations,
while others drank soothing potions,
or he applied remedies to all parts
of their bodies; still others he raised up with surgery.
But even wisdom is enthralled to gain. Ant.
Gold appearing in his hands 55
with its lordly wage
prompted even him to bring back from death a man
already carried off. But then, with a cast from his hands,
Kronos' son took the breath from both men's breasts
in an instant; the fash of lightning hurled down doom.
It is necessary to seek what is proper from the gods
with our mortal minds,
by knowing what lies at our feet and what kind of destiny 60
is ours.
Do not, my soul, strive for the life of the immortals, Ep.
but exhaust the practical means at your disposal.
Yet if wise Cheiron were still living in his cave, and if
my honey-sounding hymns could put a charm in his heart,
I would surely have persuaded him to proVide a healer 65
now as well to cure the feverish illnesses of good men,
someone called a son of Apollo or ofZeus.
And I would have come, cleaving the Ionian sea in a ship,
to the fountain of Arethusa and to my Aitnaian host,
who rules as king over Syracuse, Str. L
251
P I N OAR
71 nov;do-o;, ov0ovovd,o0o;, c|-
:o;e0ovoo-o;no-.
-evvj:o;oro;
c|xo-[o:b,|co:,a:voov
xoj:v-'d0\a: Hv0|a: o,\o:o-covo;,
-ov;do-cvov4cvxo;c\cvK|no-,
75 do-jo; ovo:|ov
oj:-y\ov,o-covxc|voo;
cxj:ovxc[o0v:nv-ovncooo;.
d\\' cncvoo0oj:evc,ovc0\a
Mo-|, -ovxovono' cj:ovn0vovov:
Ho:j:\nov-o 0oj:a
ocj:vov 0cov c::vo.
80 c|e \,a: ovvj:cv xojvov, 'Ia:,
0o:cn|o-,j:o:0a:a:olo0onjo-jov
cvno'co\ov nj:oro ovvvoo|o:-o[o-o;
d0ovo-o:. -oj:eva:
ovv:ov-ovn:oxoj: jc:v,
d\\' d,o0o|, -o xo\o-ov-c;o.
Probably in 478 (cf. Bacch. 5.37-1) . Pherenikos' Olympic
victory is celebrated in 01. 1 and Bacch. 5. " It is not clear
why Pindar prays to the Mother of the gods, Magna Mater
( Rhea, Kybele, or perhaps Oemeter), or what his relationship to
her was. The scholiasts, biographers, and Pausanias (9.25.3) all
claim that Pindar had a shrine to her and Pan by his house.
252
PYTHI AN 3
gentle to townsmen, not begrudging to good men,
and to guests a wondrous father.
And if Ihad landed, bringing with me
two blessings, golden health and a victory revel
to add luster to the crowns from the Pythian games
which Pherenikos once won when victorious at Kirrha, '
Iswear that I would have come for that man
as a saving light outshining any heavenly star,
upon crossing the deep sea.
But for my part, I wish to pray
to the Mother, to whom, along with Pan, the maidens
often sing before my door at night,
for she is a venerable goddess. 2
But, Hieron, if you can understand the true point
of sayings, you know the lesson of former poets:
the immortals apportion to humans a pair of evils
for every good. 3 Now fools
cannot bear them gracefully,
but good men can, by turing the noble portion
outward.
4
Your share of happiness attends you,
ef. I. 24.527-528: oow, yap TE rifoL KaTUKEiaTUL V /LO,
oUOEL | owpwv ora oiow<L KaKwv, ETEPO, O. uWV. Pindar inter
prets the text to mean that there were two urns of evil gifts and
one of good. Most scholars follow Plato's interpretation, accord
ing to which only two urns are at issue ,cp3790).
That is, by letting people see only the good (cf.Jr 42).
253
71
75
Ant. '
80
Ep. 4
PI NDAR
85 \o,-ov , -o -vjovvovxc-o,
c-:v'd:0anov, oj:,o;n-j:o;. o|a:' doo\;
ovx,cv-'ov-' A|ox:noo U\ci
ov-cno' dv-:0 Kj: \,ov-oj:o:[jo-ov
o\[o:v~j-o-ovoociv, oi-cxoivooj:nvxov
90 j:c\noj:cvovcvojcMooo: xoicvcn-onv\o;
a:O[o;, on0''Ajj:ov:ov,o j:cv[oon:v,
o e Njo; cv[ov\ovO-:vnoiox\v-:,
L xoi 0coio:oo:-ono' dj:o-o;,
xoiK:ovnoio;[oo\o;o:v-
oo;cvco;, c:o-c
95 {o:-o Ao; e:
cxno-jovj:c-oj:cj:cvo xoj:-ov
o-ooov 0o:xo|o:. cv ' ov-cj:
-ovj:ev{c:oo 0v,o-c; cj:ooo:n0o;
cvoov:o;j:o;o|
-ci; d-o \cvxo\v,cZcv;no-j
\v0cv c; \o; |j:cj-ov Ova:.
100 -ovenoi;, ovncj j::o: d0o:-o
-:x-cvcv10:O-:;, cvno\j:--
{o;dnvo:\a:
88 fav By.: c fav vett.
Peleus and Thetis were married on Mt. Pelion, Kadmos and
Harmonia in Thebes.
ef. Nem. 4. 65-68.
Kadmos and Harmonia had four daughters: Ino, Autonoe,
254
PYTHI AN 3
for truly if great destiny looks with favor upon any man,
it is upon a people-guiding ruler. But an untroubled life
did not abide with Aiakos' son Peleus
or with godlike Kadmos; yet they are said to have attained
the highest happiness of any men, for they even heard
the golden-crowned Muses singing on the mountain and
in seven-gated Thebes, when one married ox-eyed
Harmonia,
the other Thetis, wise-counseling Nereus' famous
daughter; l
the gods feasted with both of them,
and they beheld the regal children of Kronos
on their golden thrones and received
their wedding gifts.
2
By the grace ofZeus,
they recovered from their earlier hardships
and they raised up their hearts. But then in time,
the bitter suffering of his three daughters3
deprived the one of a part of his joy,
although father Zeus did
come to the longed-for bed of white-armed Thyone.
4
But the other's son, 5 the only child immortal
Thetis bore him in Phthia,
lost his life to an arrow in war,
Agaue, and Semele. Pindar here refers to the frst three. Ino's
husband Athamas slew one of their sons, Learchos, and Ino Rung
herself into the sea with the other, Melikertes. Autonoe's son
Aktaion was killed by his own hunting dogs. Agaue killed her son
Pentheus in a bacchic frenzy.
` Usually called Semele, mother by Zeus of Dionysos (cf. C/.
2.22-30). Achilles.
255
85
90
Str. 5
95
Ant. 5
101
PI NDAR
ojocvnvjxo:j:c:o;
cxAo:oa:,o:. c| : -:;c:
0:o-a:d\o0c:o; o:, no;oxa:
-v,:o:-' c nooj:c:. \\o-c' d\\oio:n:oo:
105 v:nc-ovd:j:a:.
o\[o;ovxc;j:oxo:d:a:jc-o:
oo;, no\v; c-' vcn:[:oo:;c-o:.
oj::xo;cvoj::xoi;,j:,o;cvj:c,\o:;
oooj:o:, -ov'dj:nov-' o|coo::
o:j:o:' doxoa xo-' cj:ov 0concvovj:oo::.
110 c|j:o:n\ov-ov0co;[o: {o:,
c\n:' o x\o; cvo0o:xcvvy\o:noa.
No-oo xo Avx:ov lony:', d:0anov-:;,
c{cnovxc\oc::a:,-x-o:c;olo ooo:
j:ooo:,,oaoxoj:cv ' dc-a x\c:voi; do:oi;
115 o::o-c\0c: novo:;n{oo0' cvj:o;.
105 OA{o< TricIinius: OA{o< o' vett.
106 cao< Emperius, Schroeder: 0< codd.
256
PYTHI AN 3
and as he was consumed by the fire, he raised
a lament from the Danaans. If any mortal understands
the way of truth, he must be happy with what good
the blessed gods allot him. Now here, now there blow
the gusts of the high-flying winds. 105
Men's happiness does not come for long
unimpaired, when it accompanies them, descending with
full weight.
I shall be small in small times, great in great ones; Ep. 5
I shall honor with my mind whatever fortune attends me,
by serving it with the means at my disposal.
And if a god should grant me luxurious wealth, 110
I hope that I may win lofty fame hereafter.
We know of N estor and Lykian Sarpedon, l still the talk of
men,
from such echoing verses as wise craftsmen
constructed. Excellence endures in gloriOUS songs
for a long time. But few can win them easily. 115
` Two heroes at Troy, one a Greek. the other a Trojan ally.
257
PYTHIAN 4
Arkesilas IV was the eighth ruler in a dynasty that
began with Battos I, who colonized Kyrene from Thera c.
630 B.C. Under the Battidai, the city became a powerful
commercial center, whose main export, an extract from a
plant known as silphium, had medicinal properties. Since
Kyrene was also famous for its doctors, the many refer
ences to healing in this poem are especially appropriate.
The ode is by far the longest in the collection, owing to
its epic-like narrative of Jason's quest for the golden
fleece, a topic relevant to Arkesilas because the Battidai
claimed Euphamos, one of the Argonauts, as their ances
tor. A surprising feature is the plea at the end for Arkesi
las to take back Damophilos, a young Kyrenaian living in
exile. The closing remark about Damophilos' discovery
of a spring of verses while being hosted in Thebes sug
gests that he commissioned the ode. The date of the vic
tory was 462; within a few years Arkesilas was deposed
and his dynasty came to an end.
The Muse is asked to celebrate Arkesilas and Apollo,
who had once prophesied that Battos would colonize
Libya and fulfill Medea's prediction uttered seventeen
generations before (1-11) . Medea's words to the Arg
onauts are quoted at length ( 11-56). Pindar announces
his intention to sing of Arkesilas, victorious at Pytho, and
of the golden fleece (64-69).
An oracle had warned Pelias to beware of a man with
258
PYTHI AN 4
one sandal (71-78). When Jason arrives in the agora at
Iolkos, his appearance stuns the onlookers (78-92) . Pelias
hastens to meet him and Jason declares that he has come
to reclaim the kingship Pelias had usurped from Jason's
father. He recounts that when he was bor his parents
feigned his death and sent him to be raised by Cheiron
(93-119). After celebrating with his relatives, Jason goes
with them to confront Pelias (120-136). Jason offers to let
Pelias retain the herds and property, but asks for the
scepter and throne (136-155) . Pelias agrees, but requests
that Jason first bring back the golden feece ( 156-167).
Many heroes, inspired by Hera, join Jason and the
expedition sets sail ( 171-202) . After passing through the
Symplegades, they reach Kolchis, where Aphrodite
devises the iynx for Jason to seduce Medea (203-219).
With Medea's help, Jason accomplishes the task set by her
father, Aietes, of plowing with the fire-breathing bulls
(220-241) . Aietes tells Jason where the golden fleece is
kept, but does not expect him to retrieve it, because it is
guarded by a huge serpent (241-246) .
Pressed for time, the poet briefly recounts that after
Jason slew the serpent the Argonauts slept with the
women on Lemnos on their way home. From this union
came the race of Euphamos, Arkesilas' ancestors, who
eventually colonized Libya (247-262) .
To lead up to the mention of Damophilos, the poet
proposes an allegory for Arkesilas to ponder: an oak tree
stripped of its boughs can still perform service as fire
wood or as a beam (263-269) . Arkesilas has an opportu
nity to heal the wounds of his disordered city (270-276) .
The poet reminds Arkesilas of the virtues of Damophilos,
who wishes to return in peace to Kyrene, bringing the
song he found while a guest at Thebes (277-299).
259
4. APKE2IAA!I KTPHNAI !I
APMATI
A' `j:co:j:evj ocvo'd:|\
o-oc:, cv|n~ov[oo:\:Kv:o;
ooxoj:ov-:o::`Ajxco|\,
Moioo, Ao-o|o:ooc\j:cvovHv-
0a:|-'ov{j; ovo:j:vov,
v0o~o-ejvoov:o;o/c-avnco;
5 ovxd~oov`A~\\ovo; -vv-o; ojco
qocv o/x:o-qo B--o:
xovoovA:[vo; |c:
:ooo:my \:vx-|ooccvcoj:o-o:
~\:v cvd,ocv-:j:oo-q,
xo-o Mc|o;vo; d,xoj:|oo:
10 c[xoov:cx-,cvc O
oa:, A/-o - vo-c oj:cv;
8 apyvvol' Schroeder
9 aYKo!LaaL BI(EICI): aYKo!L(aLO' YKo!L(aLO' C) v
' Artemis and Apollo, the patron god of Delphi (Pytho) .
" The priestess who spoke the oracles was known as the
260
4. FOR ARKESI LAS OF KYRENE
WI NNER, CHARI OT RACE, 462 B. C.
Today, Muse, you must stand beside a man who is a Str. 1
friend, the king of Kyrene with its fine horses,
so that while Arkesilas is celebrating
you may swell the breeze of hymns
owed to Leto's children 1 and to Pytho,
where long ago the priestess who sits beside the golden
eagles ofZeus2 prophesied when Apollo was not away3 5
that Battos would be the colonizer
of fruit-bearing Libya, and that
he should at once leave the holy island4 to found a city
of fine chariots on the white breast of a hill,
5
and to fulfill in the seventeenth generation that word Ant.
spoken on Thera by Medea, 10
which the high-spirited daughter of Aietes
Pythia. Strabo (9.3.6) reports that Pindar had told how Zeus
released two eagles from east and west that came together at the
center of the world, where the "navel" at Delphi was located.
3 Apollo visited other cult centers, including the Hyperbore
ans (cf. Pyth. 10.3436); his presence would assure the efcacy of
the oracle. *Thera. Kyrene was built on a chalk cliff
( Cildersleeve) .
261
PI NDAR
noi;annvcvo' a0ov-ovo-j:o-o; o-
no:vo K\a:. cnc' o-o;
j::0o:o:v`Ioo:o; o/j:o-ao vov-o:;
Kx\v-c, noic;vcj0vj:ov-co-ovxo0cov
oj:,o-oo'c \\-
x-ovno-e,o;`Eno:oxo:
15 ao-ov|o:v-cvoco0o:j:c\yo:j:[-av
A:o;cv'Aj:j:ovo; 0cj:0\o:;.
av-c\|:a:' c\ovn-cv,ovin-
nov; j:c|)o:-c; 0o;
::o-'d:r'cra: o-
ov;-c:oj:oo:ooc\\noo;.
xcivo;ojv:; cx-c\c-oc:j:c,o\o:no\|a:
20 j:o-jno\:vOo:,c:o0o:,-vco-c
T:-a:|o;cv noooi;
\|j::o; 0cav:c/oj:v ,oio::v-:
c|::ono0cvEvoj:o; xoro[o|;
o-'-o/o|o: ' cn|o|Ko:|a:
Zcv;no- x\o,c[o:-:-
B' :|x' ,xvo:no-o\x,c:vv
25 :ox:j:::-a:cn-oooc, 0oo; ` A-
,ov;o\::: acxoenj-cjov
15
fLEA:wfp6Twv Barrett: fLEATUifLfpOTOV codd.
23
aiUiav Schroeder: atULQv codd.
` On the expedition of the Argo. Thera. 3 Libya.
*Although at a considerable distance from the capital, the
262
PYTHI AN 4
and queen of the Kolchians had once breathed forth
from her immortal mouth. Such were her words
to the demigods who sailed with spear-bearing Jason: 1
"Hear me, sons of great-hearted men and gods.
I declare that one day from this sea-beaten land2
the daughter3 of Epaphos
will have planted within her a root of famous cities
at the foundations of Zeus Ammon.
4
In place of short-fnned dolphins
they will take swift horses
and instead of oars they will ply reins
and chariots that run like a storm.
This sign will bring it to pass that Thera
will become the mother-city of great cities-the token
which Euphamos once received at the outflow
of Lake Tritonis,
5
when he descended from the prow
and accepted earth proffered as a guest-present by a god
in the guise of a man-and father Zeus, son of Kronos,
pealed for him an auspicious thunderclap-
when he came upon us hanging the bronze-jawed
anchor, swift Argo's bridle,
against the ship. Before that, we had drawn up
oracle of Zeus Ammon was a noted feature of the region of
Kyrene. Pindar's account of the Argonauts' retur is as fol
lows. After leaving Kolchis (on the southeaster end of the Black
Sea) by the Phasis River, they crossed Okeanos and the Red Sea
(perhaps the Indian Ocean and our Red Sea). retured to
Okeanos, traveled overland for twelve days to Libya and Lake
Tritonis, through whose outfow they reached the Mediter
ranean, stopping at Thera and Lemnos on their way to Iolkos.
263
15
Ep. 1
20
Str. 2
25
PI NDAR
a; c`Dxco:ov joj:cv :a-
rovv~c,o|o;cjjj:av
c::\a:v, jo dvonoo:-c; j:oi;.
rovrx: ' o|oc\o;o|j:o: cn\0cv, o:|j:o:
d:o; o|o|ovcjoojo
0yxcvo; :\|a: ' cnov
30 cro, c|:o:;-' c\0vrcoo:vccj,-o:
cinv' cco,,\\o:norov.
d\\o,o vorovnoo:;,\vxcov
xa\vcvj:civo:.-o' Evjvnv\o; Io:-
oovnoi; d0|rov`E::oo|o
j:j:cvo:,|vooxc' cnc,oj:vov; v
' cv0v;no:; dovo;
35 c:-c vjo-vovvavj:o-cvoc ov:o:.
ov'dn|0ov:v, d\\' jjo; cn' dxroio:v0oa:,
c|o:ci' dvrcc|oo:;
oro[a\oxo o:j:o:|o:.
ncv0oo:'ovrovxo-ox\vo0cioo:cxovo-o;
c:o\|o:[oc:ovv \j:q
40 ono;v,j
,nc\,conovo:.
j:: :oo-jvvov 0oj:
\vo:n:o:; 0con:-co-
o:vv\o: -ov ' c\0o:ro jvc;
2
6
P/ov EF(paraphr. )
3
0 apxero BF(schol. ); apxera, ,Ey
36
a7ifUE vw codd.: a7iOrE(v) t Hermann
264
PYTHI AN 4
the sea-faring bark from Okeanos in accordance
with my instructions, and for twelve days
had been carrying it across desolate stretches ofland.
At that point the solitary god approached us,
having assumed the radiant face of a respectful man,
and he began with the friendly words
which generous men first utter when offering dinner 30
to strangers upon their arrival.
The excuse, however, of our sweet return home Ant. 2
prevented our tarrying. He said that he was Eurypylos,
son of the immortal Holder and Shaker of the Earth, l
and he recognized that we were in a hurry.
He immediately picked up some earth
in his right hand and sought to give it as a makeshift 35
guest -gift.
Nor did he fail to persuade him, but the hero leapt
upon the shore, pressed his hand into the stranger's,
and accepted the divine clod.
I have heard that it was washed off the ship
by a wave during the evening and passed
into the sea, bore on the watery main. In truth, Ep. 2
I frequently urged
the servants who relieve our toils 41
to guard it, but their minds were forgetful;
'Triton, son of Poseidon, calls himself here by the name of
Libya's frst king, Eurypylos. Lake Tritonis means "Triton's
Lake."
3
9 vaAiav Thiersch: vaAia codd.
265
PI NDAR
xo| vvvc v r' 0:ro::o xv-o:A:[vo;
cvjvovoj:ovi:oo; . c|,o o
z
-
xo: v:v[\cco 0::o:
`A|o o-j:o, To|:oo:c|;|covEvoj:o; c\0a:,
45 v|o; |nnov IIooc:a:o;:o,
-vno-'EvacoT:-vov 0v,-
-|xrc Ko:oov no' 0o:;,
r' -c-ra:no|ov x' cn:,cooj:vov
oi o|xc|vov \[c ov: o:ooi; cv-
cio:nc:o: rrc ,o c,\o;
cov|orov-o: Aoxco|j:ovo; `A,c|-
ovrcx\novxoiMvx:o:.
50 :v:,cj:evd\\oono: xj:-ovcojoc:,v:o:xo
cv\coo,vo;, olxcv-vcovv-: 0cov
:ooo:c\0vrc;rxovro:
a-o xc\o::covnc|ov
con-o:-ovj:evno\vvo nor'cvaj:or:
4oi[o;dj::oc: 0j::ooo
55 IJv0:o: :oo:xoro[vro:
oo-j, :coo:co\ci; d,o,e: Nc|-
\o:ono;niovrcvo;Ko:|o.
50 /V Byz.: /aV vett.
55 Xpovq E. Schmid: Xpovq o codd.
56 daYEtV L
Thera,
" Near Orchomenos in Boiotia (cf. C/. 14. 1-).
266
PYTHI AN 4
and now the immortal seed of spacious Libya has been
shed upon this island
1
prematurely. For if Euphamos,
the royal son of horse-ruling Poseidon,
whom Europa, Tityos' daughter, once bore by the banks
of the Kephisos,
2
had gone home to holy Tainaros
3
and cast the clod at the earth's
entrance to Hades,
the blood of the fourth generation of children
born to him would have taken that broad mainland
with the Danaans, for at that time
they are to set out from great Lakedaimon,
from the gulf of Argos, and from Mycenae. 4
Now, however, he wll fnd in the beds of foreign women
5
a chosen race, who will come honored by the gods
to this island and beget a man
6
to be ruler of the plains with dark clouds.
7
And when, at a later time, he enters the temple at Pytho,
within his house flled with gold
Phoebus will admonish him through oracles
to convey many people in ships
to the fertile domain of Kronos' son on the Nile."
3 At the souther tip of Lakedaimon, where an entrance to
Hades was supposed to be.
As part of the mass migrations of the twelfth century.
The women of Lemnos, with whom the Argonauts slept on
their way home to Iolkos (cf. 254-257).
Battos.
` Unlike much of the surrounding area, Kyrene receives
some rainfall.
267
45
Str. 3
50
Ant. 3
56
PI NDAR
oMc|o;cnovo|c; ~o-
{o:' dx|:yoon
]joc;d:r|0convx:o:: x\vo:rc;.
( j:xo v|eHo\vj::orov, oe' cvrovra\,a
60 oo;o0aoc:j:c\|ooo;
.
Ac\|o;ovror xc\
oco|c::cor;ovooooncnjoj:vov
[oo\' j:ovcvKv:,
vo0ovovad:ox:vj:cvovno-
:or|;oronjo;0cov.
j:\oj:croxo:v:,
orco:vxo:0j:ovo;dxj:,
65 noo rovro;o,oo:0\\c:j:o;`Axco|\o;
rj:ev`An\\a:rc Hv0a xvo;c{
`Ax:a:nojcv
|nnooj:|o;. dno ' ovro: c,o Mo|ooo aoa
xo ro n,voo: :xo; x:ov j:cro,
xcivo n\cvo:ra: M:vvo:, 0cnoj:-
no|oo::ovrcv0c:.
r|;,o do{oro :ov\|o;
71 r|;ex|:v:o; xorcoi;dj:o:ro;
oc:\o;, 0ooro::Hc\|o:
62 KVpaIW; B 6 WTE Bergk: WUTE B: om. U3
66 afLKTL6IwI Boeckh: a,<LKTV6IwI codd.
' Battos.
" The Pythia, the priestess through whom Apollo conveyed
268
PYTHI AN 4
Such were the verses of Medea's speech;
the godlike heroes shrank down in silence
and without moving listened to her astute counsel.
Lblessed son of Polymnastos, 1 it was you
whom the oracle, in accordance with that speech, exalted
through the spontaneous cry of the Delphic Bee,
2
who thrice bade you hail and revealed you to be
the destined king of K yrene,
when you were asking what requital would come
from the gods for your stammering voice.
Yes, indeed, now in later time as well,
as at the height of red-flowered spring,
the eighth generation of those sons fourishes in Arkesilas,
to whom Apollo and Pytho granted glory
from the hands of the Amphiktyons3
in horse racing. And for my part, Ishall entrust to the
Muses
both him and the all-golden fleece of the ram, for when
the Minyai sailed in quest of it, god-sent honors
were planted for them. 4
What beginning took them on their voyage,
and what danger bound them with strong nails
of adamant? It was fated that Pelias
his oracles. "Spontaneous" indicates that she answered before
she was asked the question. For Battos' stammer and consulta
tion of the Pythia, see Hdt. 4. 155. 3 The ofcials overseeing
the Pythian games (schol). Others treat as lowercase and trans
late as "from the surrounding people."
The Minyai, the Battidai, or both. The Minyai were from
Orchomenos (cf. C/. 14.4).
269
60
Ep. 3
65
Str. 4
71
PI NDAR
c d,ova:A/o\:a:0o:j:cvc|-
coo[ov\oi;dxvj:n-o:;.
\0co:xjvcvnvx:vj::rcvj:o 0vj:,
no j:oov o\o: cvvom y0e: j:o-o;
75 -ovj:o:oxonvro;
cvv\oxoc0j:cvj:c,\
cv-' : o/nc::a: dno oro0j:ov c;cvc|c\ov
0:oj:\ x\c:-a; `Ioo\xov,
ci:o;o-'a:do-;. o'o:
ixc-'o/j:oio:v:vj:o:o:vd: x-
no,\o; co0o;' dj:o-o v:vcv,
80 -c Mo,v-ovcaa;oj:-
o:oo 0o-oio,v|o:;,
dj:ienoo\or,c-o |ooo:-o;j:[ov;
ovexoj:a:n\xoj:o: xc0:-c;ov-' d,\oo|,
d\\'no: vo-ovxo-o|0vo-
oo:. -o 'cv0v; /a: oc-o;
cor0 ,:aj:o; dro[x-oanc:ej:cvo;
85 cv d,o n\0ov-o;\ov.
rovj:evov,|vooxov oj::av' j:-
no;;cncv xoi-c
"Ov -|novovro;`An\\ov,
ovej:ovo\xj:or;cono:;
`Ao|-o; cveN ov-i0o:ci:\:no
78 pa Schroeder: apa codd.: apa Boeckh
79 alOTpa EF: ap.qoTEpOV reIL
270
PYTHI AN 4
would perish because of the proud Aiolidai, at their hands
or through their infexible counsels.
And an oracle came to him that chilled his crafty heart,
spoken at the central navel of the tree-clad mother, '
to be greatly on guard in every way against 75
the man with one sandal,
when he should come from the high dwelling places
into the sunny land of famous Iolkos,
whether he be a stranger or a townsman. And so in time Ant.
he came, an awesome man with two spears,
and clothing of both kinds was covering him:
native garb of the Magnesians 2 closely fitted 80
his marvelous limbs, but around it he protected
himself from chilly showers with a leopard skin;
nor were the splendid locks of his hair cut off and lost,
but they rippled down the length of his back.
Putting his intrepid resolve to the test,
he qUickly went straight ahead and stood
in the agora as a crowd was thronging. 85
They did not recognize him, but, awestruck as they were, Ep. 4
one of them nevertheless said, among other things:
"He surely is not Apollo,
nor certainly is he Aphrodite's husband
of the bronze chariot;
3
and they say that in shining N axos
Delphi. the navel of Gaia, Earth.
" Magnesia was the eastermost district of Thessaly, between
the Peneios River and the Gulf of Pagasai, including Iolkos and
Mt. Pelion.
Ares.
271
PI NDAR
`I:j:cc|o;voio; 'D-o:xoio, ro\-
j:c:;`E\ro:o{.
90 xoiovT:rvo:[\o;`Arj::o;0jcvocxjo:nvv,
c{ dv:xrovojrjo;jvvcvov,
ojor:;ra:cvvvor:\or-
rovcovc:voro:
L roievd\\\o:o:vdc:[j:c:o:
,vo:ro:ovr' d:o ':vo:;{c-
orr'dn:norovo:Hc\|o;
95 ixcro oncvov rc' ovr|xo vovr-
vo:; d|,:arovv:\ov
c{j:vovdj:ivo|. x\nrove 0v
co voo-vcnc IIo|o:,oov, J {cv', cvco:
vor|' j:cv, xoir|;d:0a-
novocoj:o:,covvo\:a;
c{ovxcv,oorj;, c0|oro:o:j:gcvco:v
100 xoro:vo:;c/ve,vvov.
rove0oooo:;d,ovoo: \,o:;
'dc|0y4oi:ooxo\|ovXc|-
a:o;ooc:v.dvr0c,ovoj:o:
noXoj:x\ov;xoi 4:\vo; ivoKcvrov-
ovj:cxovo:0o:,:o|.
v
89 maA TO Schroeder e schol. Had. Od. 1 1 .309: 1naA.( O)
Two gigantic brothers who tried to scale heaven by piling
272
PYTHI AN 4
Iphimedeia's sons died, Otos and you, bold
king Ephialtes;
1
and certainly Artemis' swift arrow hunted down Tityos, 90
as it sped from her invincible quiver,
waring a person to desire to attain loves
within his power. "
While they were saying such things in turn Str. 5
to one another, Pelias came
on his polished mule car
in precipitous haste. He was stunned as soon as 95
he caught sight of the single sandal in clear view
upon his right foot, but he hid his panic in his heart
and addressed him, "What land, I stranger, do you claim
to be your fatherland? And what mortal
born upon the earth delivered you forth
from her gray womb?
3
Tell me your lineage
and do not stain it with most hateful lies. " 100
Taking courage, he answered him with gentle words Ant.
in this way: Iclaim that I shall manifest the teachings
of Cheiron, for Icome
from the side ofChariklo and Philyra4 and from the cave
where the Centaur's holy daughters raised me.
Ossa on Olympos and Pelion on them; they were killed by Apollo
(cf. Od. 11.307-320) or Artemis (cf. Apollod. 1. 7. 4). The
giant Tityos was slain by Artemis (and confined in Hades) for
attempting to rape her mother Leto on her way to Delphi (cf.
Od. 1 1.576581) . The scholia gloss 1oALa, as "old," hence
respectful in tone, but others take it to be insulting.
4 Chariklo was Cheiron's wife, Philyra his mother.
273
PI NDAR
cxoo:' cxrc\oo:; cv:ovrov;ovrc j,ov
105 ovr' no;cxrnc\o: xc:vo:o:v c/no :xj:o:
oxo', do:o:xoj::ov
noro;cov,[oo:\cvoj::o:
ov xor' oloo:, r:norcZcv;noocv\o,r
A:\ xono:or:j::.
ncv0oo:, v::IIc\:o:0cj::v\c-
xo;n:0oovrooo::
110 oj:cravdnoov\o-
oo:[:o:o;djc:xo:roxov
ro:j:',cncnnjorovco:,,o; bcj:\ov
o,cj::o;c:oo:rc;v[:v, xoo; oo-
c:-c 0:j:vovvoc:
cvej:oo:0yxj:cvo:j:|,o xoxvr,v:o:xa:,
xv[onj:nov ono,:o:;cvnovjo:;
115 vvxrxo::oo:rc; o:, Kjov:
erc:Xc|jov:oxo:.
F '
d\\o rovrovj:ev xc\om \,a:
orc. \ex:nnov e j:ov; norov, xc-
vono\ro:, ooorj:o:ooa;
Aoo:o;,o no;cn:e:o;ovc|-
:o::x:a,oo:\\a:.
j j:c 0co;`Ioo:ox:x\oxa:nooovo.
105 EK'rpa7EAov Heyne e schol. : EVTpa7EAov codd.
11
3
/iya CPCVEPCFy (/Ela cac, /Eya Eac): /ETo B
118 iKavw Madvig: iKO/aV codd.: /EV 'KW Christ
274
PYTHI AN 4
After completing twenty years without doing
or saying anything untoward to them, Ihave come 105
home to reclaim my father's ancient honor
of kingship, now being wielded
unjustly, which long ago Zeus granted
to Aiolos, leader of the people, and to his sons,
1
for Iam told that lawless Pelias Ep. 5
gave in to his white wits2
and usurped it 110
by force from my justly ruling parents,
who, as soon as Isaw the light,
fearing the violence of the overbearing ruler,
made a dark funeral
in the house and added women's wailing as if Ihad died,
but secretly sent me away in my purple swaddling clothes,
and, entrusting the journey to the night, gave me 115
to Cheiron, son of Kronos, to raise.
But now you know the principal elements of my story. Str. 6
Dear fellow citizens, show me clearly
the home of my fathers who rode white horses,
for Icome here as the son of Aison, a native,
to no strangers' land.
The divine creature called me by the name Jason."
' See Appendix, genealog of Aiolos. Tyro was married to her
uncle Kretheus, thus making Aison and Pelias half-brothers.
2 The meaning of the phrase is in doubt. Glosses include
"evil" ( Hesychius), "shallow (schol. ), or "empty" (schol. ).
275
120
125
130
135
PI NDAR
, - , ` ( , , , -( o; ,oro rovj:cvcoc ovr c,vov o, oj:o:coro;
cx' 'ovrov~oj:\v{o:
xvo ,yo\ov,\cav,
:cci:}vo:ccci,0yocvc{o:crov
,:o: :a: x\\:orovd:a:.
xoixoo:,vyro:o:oodj:rco:
\v0ovxc:vov,c xorox\o; c,,v;
j:ev djy; x:o: 'T~cjo \a:,
cxeMcoo:o;`Aj:v0: roa; ' " A-
j:oro;xcvxoiM\oj:~o;
cvj:cvovrc; dvc::. cv o:ro; ej:o:j
j:c\::o:o:\,o:; ovrov; `Ioa:,j:cvo;
{c:v:'oj:o:-orcvov
~aoo:cvoov:o:r:vc:
d0o:; ~vrc oca::vxrcooo v 0'oj:o:;
:covcvo:o;oro:.
d\\' cvxrc:ro \,o: 0j:cvo;o~ov-
oo:c{da; d
ov,,c:oo~ocxooa0'
o:' c~o~o:r'. olo' d~o x\:o:a:
ajroov:xc:vo:o: xo:' \0ov IIc\:oj:,oo:
coovj:cvo:' coa xororov rov' dxov-
oo:;ovro;vno:r:ooc:
Tvov; coo\oxj:ov ,c:c cov:' `Ioa:
120 iYlol By.: iYlwl vett.
129 7acul B(schol. ) : 7acul e, Cf
276
PYTHI AN 4
Thus he spoke. When he entered his home, his father's
eyes recognized him and then tears burst forth
from under his aged eyelids,
as he rejoiced in his soul to see his extraordinary
offspring, fairest of men.
Both of his father's brothers
arrived when they heard the news about him: Pheres
came from the nearby Hypereian spring1
and Amythaon came from Messene; Admetos
and Melampos also came quickly,
out of good will, to their cousin. During the feasting
Jason received them with gentle words
and, providing fitting hospitality,
extended all manner of festivity
for fve whole nights and days, culling
the sacred excellence of joyous living.
But on the sixth day, the hero laid out in earest
the whole story from the beginning
and shared it with his relatives,
who jOined him. At once he rose with them
from the couches, and they went to Pelias' palace.
They hastened straight in and took a stand. When he
heard them, the son oflovely-haired Tyro
met them face to face. In a soft voice
In the Thessalian City ofPherai (Strabo 9. 5. 18).
133
7acL KOLloJ' CB: 7UpeKoLla(' reil.
134
1A(e( 11) C
277
120
Ant. 6
125
130
Ep. 6
135
PI NDAR
j:o\0ox a:~o-:o-a:ooo:
[\\c-o x~ioooa:c~ov
IJoi IJooc:o:o; IJc-o|ov,
z' cv-ij:ev0:o-a:jvc;oxv-co:
140 xo; o|:oo:~o |xo; \:o: -o-
cio:cjcv-ov~jo; ~:[o: j:o;
d\\'cj:e xoioe0c:ooo:ov;-
,o; vo|:c:: \o:~o: o\[o:.
c|-: -o:cjo j:|o [ov; K0ci -cj:-
xoi 0oovj:c:lo\j:a:ci -|-o:o:v ' cv,o:oi;
c;ov xc|vovv-cv0v-
-c;o0vo;dc\|ovjvocov
145 \cvoooj:cv. Moio: ' d|o-ov-', ci-:; 0o ~\c:
oj:o,vo:;o|a xo\vo:.
ov~j~c: :vo\xo-o:;{|co:v
ov' dx:-coo::j+c,\o:~jo,:a:-:-
j:ovooo0o:. j:\-c,-o:c,e
xoi [oa:{o:0o;d,\o;d|j:' d-
,ov;-c~:-o; -ov;d~ovo;
150 oj:c-av-oxov :j:co:~\ov-ov~:o|:a:
xovj:c~ovci-covoxo:-ov-o~oovvov-',o:
d\\o xoioxo~-ovj::oo:
xoi 0:o; ~o-c K0uo;
c,xo0|a::~~-o:;cv0vvc \ooi; |xo;-
-oj:evvcv{mo;d:|o;
14
5 aqtUavT' BH: aqiUTatVT' \ Chaeris: afqtU'TaVT'
CEFG
278
PYTHI AN 4
J ason distilled soothing speech
and laid the foundation of wise words:
"Son of Poseidon of the Rock,
1
the minds of mortals are all too swift
to commend deceitful gain above justice, even though
they are headed for a rough reckoning the day after.
You and I, however, must rule our tempers with law
and weave our future happiness.
You know what I am about to say: one heifer2 was mother
to Kretheus and bold-counseling Salmoneus; we in tur
were bor in the third generation from them
and behold the golden strength
of the sun. The Fates withdraw, if any feuding arises
to make kinsmen hide their mutual respect.
It is not proper for the two of us to divide the great honor
of our forefathers with bronze-piercing swords
or javelins. For I give over to you the sheep,
the tawny herds of cattle, and all the fields
which you stole
from my parents and administer to fatten your wealth
I do not mind if these overly enrich your house-
but, as for the scepter of sole rule
and the throne upon which Kretheus' son3 once
sat and rendered straight justice to his people of
horsemen,
these you must give up without grief
' Poseidon was called rETpa;o by the Thessalians for split
ting the mountains to create the valley of Tempe (schol. ) .
2 Enarea, wife of Aiolos.
Aison.
279
Str. 7
140
145
Ant.
150
PI NDAR
155 \voov, :vr: vcercjovcov-
ra:d:oorxox:.
wc ' c:ncv, dx' d:r-
o,cvocvxoiHc\|o; 'Eooo:
roo; d\\' c,o:ov jo;\:x|o;
d:no\c oo:':0o;j[o;r: xv-
o|:c: v:ooo:' dc\cv
ov:v0o:|a:. x\cro:,o co:|vo:xo|o:
160 4|o; c\0vro; njo;A|ro 0o\

ov;
orcx:ov[o0vo\\o:,c::,
r nor' cxnvrovooa0
H' xrcorv:o; d0a:[c\ov.
rovro:0ovooro;ovc:o; :a:a-
vc. cvrcvo: 'cniKooro\|
)
,
c: cr\\or: r: xoia;ro;rjv-
vc:crcvc:v:onon:.
165 rovrovc0\o:cxavr\coov xo|ro:o:ojcv
xoi[oo:\cvcvovv:njooc:v. xorc;
jxo;:vrv;oro
Zcv; o,cv0\:o;doro:;.
ovv0co:vrovro: cno:voovrc;o:ev x|0cv
dro `Ioa: ovro;
170 jvvcvxvxo;c:ron\ov
155 ava(r av Wilhelm Schulze: ava<T1<' (aVa<T<a E)
'v: aVa<T<V BPc(c): aVa<TaiV a: aVa<TV Hermann: ava
<Ta<V Schnitzer
280
PYTHI AN 4
on both sides, lest some more troubling evil Ep. 7
arise for us from them. "
Thus he spoke, and Pelias 156
responded calmly, "I shall be
such as you wish, but already the aged portion of life
attends me, whereas your flower of youth
is just cresting; and you are capable of removing
the anger of those in the underworld. For Phrixos orders
us to go to the halls of Aietes to bring back his soul 1 160
and to recover the thick-fleeced hide of the ram
by which he was once preserved from the sea
and from the impious weapons of his stepmother. 2 Str. 8
Such things does a wondrous dream come and tell
to me. have inquired of the oracle at Kastalia
if some expedition must be made, and it orders me
to provide conveyance by ship as soon as pOSSible.
Willingly accomplish this task and swear 165
that will hand over to you sole rule and kingship.
As a mighty pledge, let our witness be
Zeus, progenitor of both our families."
After agreeing to this pact, they parted.
But Jason himself at once began
sending heralds everywhere to announce that a voyage Ant. b
I. e. call back his soul torest in a cenotaph at home.
" Ino, who in some versions falsely accused Phrixos of being
in love with her; he escaped across the sea to Kolchis on the back
of the ram with the golden fleece.
281
P I NDAR
o:vcvnovr. oe Ko:|oo
Z:o;v|orjc;dxoo:roo:
\0o:`A\:o; 0'c\:xo,\covA-
o;rc,o:o'v:o:
dvc;, `E::oo|o ,vo;, o:co0vrc; d\x:,
xrcIJv\ovxodn' xo; To::ov rove: x\o;
175 co\o:Evovr'cx:0
o:T IJc:x\vc:' cvv[|o.
c{`An\a:o;e o:,xr; do:o:nor
o\cv, cvo|:ro; `Ocv;.
nnc' 'Eo;voon:; :vov;v|-
ov;cn'rvro: nvov,
rove:`E|o:o, xc\-
o:;[,rov'

Evrov. c;
180 dIIo,,o|ov0c0\o:; vo:cro:rc;[o:,
xo,o cxon0v ,c\ovc 0oooo:v-
rvvcv[oo:\cv;d:a:
Zro: K\ot: rcnor Boo;, :o;nrcjoo:v
:oronc|xo:ro;a novo:;.
rovenonc:0 ,\vxvv]:0o:-
o:vn0o:vo:cv` Ho
O :oo;`A,o;, r::o\c:ncvov
186 ro:dx|:v:o:nooorvc:vo:-
a:onooovr', d\\'cnxo0o:r
176 copfLLKas V 179 TaXi, Boeekh: Taxi' a' eodd.
180 (efLi('OL, Boeekh: (ifL('a 'B
b
EF: om. B"y(sehol. )
18
4
EVaaLv CbB
I
Fy: EaaL! 'BE: EviaaLev Turyn
282
PYTHI AN 4
was in the making. Swiftly came Kronian Zeus'
three tireless warrior sons, bor to
bright-eyed Alkmene and to Leda, 1
and the two men with hair piled on high,
offspring of Earthshaker, out of respect for their valor,
from Pylos and the headland ofTainaros, whose noble
glory was fulfilled, that of Euphamos
and yours, mighty Periklymenos. 2
And from Apollo came the father of songs,
the widely praised minstrel Orpheus.
And Hermes of the golden wand sent his twin sons
for the endless toil,
one Echion, the other Erytos, both
swelling with youthfulness. Swift
to come were those dwelling at the base of Pangaion,
3
for with a cheerful heart their willing father Boreas,
king of the winds, swiftly equipped 4
Zetes and Kalai's, men whose backs both
rippled with wings of purple.
And Hera enkindled in these demigods
that all-persuasive, sweet longing
for the ship Argo, so that no one might be left behind
to remain with his mother and coddle a life
without risk, but rather, even if it meant death,
Herakles, son of Alkmene, and Kastor and Polydeukes, sons
of Leda.
2 Euphamos is from Tainaros (er 43-44); Periklymenos is the
son of N eleus from Pylos. Their hair was presumably tied up in a
knot; others render "high-plumed."
3 A mountain in Thrace.
Or spured UH.
283
171
175
Ep. 8
180
Str. 9
186
PI NDAR
j:oxovx\\:o-o:co; dc-o; a
\:::cvo0o:ov:\\o:;.
-.' `Ioo\xo:c~cixo-[o vov-ov o-o;,
\o-o~v-o;c~o::oo:;`Ioa:. xo| o:
190 j::;v|coo:xoi x\-
jo:o:0cocjo~ov :cjoi;
Mo;j:[ooco-o-ov~jov c~ci'cj:[\ov
xooo:d,xvo;v~c0cv,
jvoo:c|coo: \o[a::\o:
do;cv~jvj:v~o-' Ovov:ovc,-
c:xovvovZ:o,xoixv~jov;
195 xvj:-a:po.dvov;-'cx\c::v-
x-o;-c xoi~v-ovxc\cv0ov;
j:o--'cvo:oxoi:\|o:vo-omj:oiov
cxvcovot dv-voc[jov-o;ooa:
0,j:o \oj:~oi ' \0o: dx-i-
vc;o-cjo~o;d~o,:vj:c:o:.
dj:c:oo:'[joc;o-ooo:0covoj:oo::
200 ~:0j:cvo: xvc ' ov-oi;
cj:[o\ci: xo:o: -cooxco; c|-
o;c:|~-ovc\~|o;
c/co|o 'v~cej-
ocv-oc:ovcx~o\oj:o:xojo;.
ov: N-ov' ovo:;c~' `Ac|:ovo-j:o~cj:~j:cvo:
\v0o: :0' ,:o:IIooc:a:o; co-
oo:-' c::o\|ov-j:cvo;,
284
PYTHI AN 4
to gain the most noble remedyl for his own achievement
in the company of others of his age.
When the pick of the sailors came down to Iolkos,
Jason praised and mustered them all. Then the seer
Mopsos, prophesying for them by means of birds 190
and sacred lots,
gladly sent the host on board. And when they had slung
the anchors above the prow,
the captain took a golden bowl in his hands Ant. 9
and, standing on the stern, called upon Zeus,
father of the Ouranidai and wielder of lightning,
and upon the rushing waves and winds to be swift- 195
moving and the nights and paths of the sea and days
to be propitious and their homecoming favorable.
And from the clouds there answered him an auspicious
clap of thunder, and bright flashes of lightning
came bursting forth.
The heroes took fresh courage, trusting
the god's signs. The seer bade them 200
fall to the oars, as he expressed Ep. 9
cheerful expectations.
From under their swift hands the rowing
proceeded tirelessly.
Sped by the breezes of the South Wind, they came
to the mouth of the Inhospitable Sea,
2
where they
established a sacred precinct for Poseidon of the Sea,
I I.e. fame. Others translate, "remedy to effect his own excel
lence."
The Black Sea, also called (euphemistically) the Hospitable
(Euxine) Sea.
285
205
I '
210
215
220
PI NDAR
o|::ooeOy:

x|a:d,\o-ova:vnac:,
xoi vcxr:orov \|0a:[aoo 0:o.
c;ex|:v:o: [o0v::j:cvo:
co~ro:\|ooovro :oa:,
ovvj:ovx::y0j:ov do:j:xcrov
cxv,cv~crav. |vo:,o oo: a-
o|, xv\::oxo:rrc xo:~vrco:
/

y ov,ov~ov ovcj:a: or:c; o y-
y rc\cvro:xcvo;ovro;
j::0ov ~\o; ,o,c:. c;daoo ' ~c:rcv
\v0o:, :0o xc\o::~coo: K\o:oo[|o:
j:c(ovA|r~o' ovr.
crv:o' (vrrov [c\a:
~o:x|\o:v,,orcrx:oj:o:Ov\vj:~0cv
cvd\vr cv(o:ooxvx\
j:oo'o:o Kv~jo,vcm jcv
~jorovd:0e~o:o: \:r;r' c~oo:o;
cx:oxyoc:ooovA:oo:|o:,
oo Myc|o;roxovd\o:r' o:-
a, ~o0c::o' `E\\o; ovr:
cvooi xo:oj::o: ovo:j:or:,: Hc:0ov;.
xoiro~c|or' d0\a:c|xvvcv~ora|a:
ovv' c\o|oj:oxeoo:o'
dvr|rooorcca:v:a:
213 WKVTCTWV v (sed cf. schol. )
286
PYTHI AN 4
and there was at hand a tawny herd of Thracian bulls
and a newly built stone altar with a hollow.
1
As they sped on to grave danger,
they prayed to the lord of ships
2
for escape from the irresistible movement
of the clashing rocks,
3
for the two of them were alive
and would roll more Swifly
than the ranks ofloudly roaring winds.
That voyage of the demigods, however, finally
put an end to them. Next they came to the Phasis,
4
where they matched strength with the dark-faced
Kolchians in the presence of Aietes himself.
But the Cyprus-bor queen of sharpest arrows
bound the dappled wryneck to the four spokes
of the inescapable wheel
and brought from Olympos that bird of madness5
for the first time to men, and she taught
the son of Aison to be skillful in prayers and charms,
so that he might take away Medea's respect
for her parents, and so that desire for Hellas might set
her mind afre and drive her with the whip of Persuasion.
And right away she showed him the ways to accomplish
her father's trials, and she concocted with oil
antidotes for terrible pains and gave them to him
The hollowed top of the altar held the fre upon which the
animal parts were burned. " Poseidon. 3 The Symplegades.
At Od. 12. 61-72 Homer refers to Jason's passing through the
"Planktai"' on his retur voyage. River at the easter end of the
Black Sea where Kolchis is located. The iynx, a love charm
intended to instill a responsive passion in the person desired as a
lover, consisted of a wryneck attached to a small wheel.
287
205
Str. lO
210
215
Ant. 10
220
PI NDAR
oxc|co0o. xo-o:voov-c xovov,oov
,\vxv:cvd\\\oo:ci{o:
d\\' o-' A|g-o; doj:::o: cvj:o-
oo; o-o:ox:j:o-o
225 xoi[o;, o\,' d~o {o:-
0a:,cvvov ~vovxomj:voonvj;,
o\xo;' on\oi;dooocoxov0v' dj:c[j:cvo
-ov;d,o,a:cv,\~\ooocvj:ovvo;. -
0s' ov\oxo;cv-ovvoo;
\ov:', d:o[a\ox:o; ' ,vo:o:c vo-ov
,; . c~cv ' a- Tov-' j,ov[oo\cv;,
230 o;c :o;, cj:oi -c\oo;
0-o: o-oj:vo:d,o0a,
IA xao; o|,\ac:jvo 0vo:.
W 'ovoo:-o; dno xjxcov:
o;`Ioovcij:o0c~:ovvo;
cc-'j,ov ~vj ::ovxc\cnoj:-
oj:xov{c::o;cc-j:o:; .
o~ooooj:c:o; ' o-o:, [oov;goo;d:,x
235 v-covov:o;c[\\ov-' cj~\cvj v
xv-jovo|o:e;[o-o;
c{c:o'c~:-ox-ovd:g
228 al'a /w'aKia< 8' FPC: al'a/w'aKiat< 8' EF: al
'
a /w'a
Kt' E< 8' BraswelI 234 /0EOV< ,: /oEOL< [B]/C' I 81<aL<
Heyne: 8i<l' aB ?]B
'
: 81<a< C
'
/ | alaYKq !YP: al
'
aYKa<
aB?]y: El' alaYKat< F (L inserto) Epe: al'uYKaL< paraphr.
288
PYTHI AN 4
for anointing-and so they agreed to join with one
another in a sweet marriage of mutual consent.
But after Aietes positioned in their midst the plow Ep. 10
made of adamant
and the oxen that were breathing the flame of blazing fre 225
from their tawny jaws
and pawing the ground in turn with brazen hoofs,
he led them and brought them to the yoke-strap single
handedly.
He stretched straight furrows as he drove them
and split open the stretch of clodded earth a fathom
deep. Then he spoke thus, "When the king, whoever it is
who captains the ship, completes this task for me, 230
let him take away the immortal bedding,
the fleece that gleams with golden fringe. " Str. 11
When he had spoken thus, Jason flung off his saffron
cloak, and putting his trust in the god, took on the task.
The fire did not make him finch, owing to the commands
of the hospitable woman skilled in all medicines.
He grasped the plow, bound the necks of the oxen
by force in their harness, and by thrusting 235
the ruthless goad into their strong-ribbed bulk,
the powerful man accomplished the appointed
289
P I NDAR
?
c ? J7 y
j:c-ov. :vcv o:nc cj:no;c
v:oo+ A:-o; ,oo0;.
no; ' c-oioxo-cov:o|\o;
240 oc,o:c:o;,o-c:o:o|- :: no|-
o;jcn-ov, j:c\|o;-c \,o;
d,ono:-'. ov-|xo'`Ac\|ov 0ov-
j:oo-o;v:o;j:o\oj:n:
.

0
3
c cvvcvcv, cv o ::cx-o:voo: ov ooo
\nc-o ' ovx-:o:xci:v,cnoo0onvov.
xci-o,o\, xov-o;
' cc-o\o[o-o-a:,cvvov,
245 ck nc:j:xc-cncv-yxv-cjov:ov: x-c:,
-\cocv:n\o,o o:ov.
j:ox j:o :cio0oxo-' dj:o-o: oo
,o ovvn-c: xo|-::o
oij:ovooj:[ovv no\-
\oio' ,yj:ooo|o;c-o;.
x-civcj:ev,\ovxvo -:o;nox\o:o-ovoo,
250 o `Axco|\o, x\c:-c Mc:o: ov: ov-
- -ovHc\mo:o:
v-'`Dxco:ovnc\,cooj:|,cvnv--'cv0
24
6 TAe(" Mommsen e schol. : (E)dAW-( a") a" v:yp
2
50 aVT< C:YP I IeAtaoq6"0, edd.: 1eAtaoq0"0, variis
accentibus codd.: IeAiao q6"0, Chaeris: IeAiao q0"6,
Wackemagel
290
PYTHI AN 4
measure of toil. Aietes cried out, although in inarticulate
pain, astonished at the power he beheld.
But his comrades were stretching forth their hands
to the mighty man, covering him with crowns ofleaves,
1
and greeting him with words
of kindness. At once the wondrous son of Helios
2
told him where Phrixos' sacrificial knives
had stretched out the shining hide,
but he did not expect him to perform that further trial,
because it lay in a thicket
and was right by the ferocious jaws of a serpent,
which exceeded in breadth and length a ship of fifty oars,
which strokes of iron have fashioned.
But it is too far for me to travel on the highway,
because the hour is pressing and Iknow
a short path-and Ilead the way
in wise skill for many others.
He cunningly slew the green-eyed snake with spotted
back,
LArkesilas, and with her own help stole away Medea,
the slayer ofPelias.
3
They came to the exanses of Okeanos, to the Red Sea,
' Some follow schol. 42T in seeing here a qvAAo{oAia
"showering with leaves" (cf. Pyth. 9. 123-124).
Aietes (cf. Od. 10. 135-139).
She tricked Pelias' daughters into bailing him in 8 attempt
to rejuvenate him.
291
Ant. 11
240
245
Ep. 11
250
PI NDAR
Ao::o:-' 0vc:,vvo:xovd:ovov
:0oxoi,v|a:d0\o:;ncc|-
{o:-o:' co0o-o; dj:|;,
IB' xoi ovvcvvoo0c:. xoivd\\oono;
255 onj:' dovo:;-ov-x:;vj:c-o;d-
x-vo;o\[ov{o-oj:o:|a:
o) vvx-c; -0:,o ,:o; Ev-
j:ovv-cv0ev\o:novo:c|
-\\c-o xoiAoxco:j:o:|a:j::0v-c;d:a:
0co:vvno-cKo\\|o-ovdjeoo::
:ooo: v0cv' vj:j::Ao-o|-
o;nojcvA:[vo;nc|o:
260 ov:0cov-:j:o;\\c:v, o-vjvoo0:ov
:ovcj:c:v 0c:ov Kv:o;
0[ov\ovj:-:vcvoj::o:;.
,:a0::v:-ovO/:nooo|o:c/
,-:;oov;{v-j:nc\xc:
c{cjc|;c:cvj:c,\o;v;, o:ov-
vo:ol0oj-o:co;,
265 xoi 0:vxono;cooo:ojoo:nc' ov-o;,
ci no-cc:j:mvcvj c{|xj-o: \o|o0a:,
2
5
3
I/' Kayser: Kpia eodd.
2
55 r7pp' apovpa" . . . aK7'/o, Hermann: 7P apovpauTL
. . . aK7'/a, eodd. I oi{ov VBEFac: oi{o/ C: oi{' y(sehol.)
2
58 E/ Chaeris: Q/ 'v: a/ sehol.
292
PYTHI AN 4
and to the race of man-slaying Lemnian women.
There they also displayed the strength of their limbs
in games for the prize of a cloak
1
and slept with the women. Then it was in those foreign
furrows
2
that the fated days or nights received the seed
of your family'S radiant
prosperity, for there the race of Euphamos
was planted and continued ever after.
And, after coming to the abodes of Lakedaimonian men,
in time they settled on the island formerly called
Kalliste. 3 And from there the son of Leto gave your family
the plain of Libya
to make prosper through honors coming from the gods,
and the divine city of golden-throned Kyrene to govern,
to you who have devised policy based on right counseL
Now come to know the wisdom of Oedipus:
4
if someone
with a sharp-bladed axe
should strip the boughs from a great oak tree
and ruin its splendid appearance,
although it cannot bear foliage, it gives an account of
itself,
if ever it comes at last to a winter's fre,
` The games held by Hypsipyle (ef C/. 4. 19-23). Before the
Argonauts arrived the women of Lemnos had killed their hus-
bands (ef. Aeseh. Gho. 631 ff) . I. e. women's wombs.
"Fairest," i. e. Thera (ef Hdt. 4. 147. 4).
Proverbial for his ability to understand riddles .
2
6
4
EpitH/ Thierseh: Ep()ita, K eodd. airxv/o,
Mosehopulus: airxvl
'
l vett.
293
Str. 12
255
260
Ant. 12
265
PI NDAR
o:0o; x:vco::
conoovvo:o:vcc:ovo
0o:\\o:;dnc: voro:o:cvrc:coo,
ovcj:aoo:ooao:.
270 cooi' :or cn:xo:roro; Ho:-
:roo:r:qo;.
j:o\oxovonoo[\-
\o:rorao:c\xe;do\cv.
:o: ev,o n\::ocoo:xoidovjorjo:;
d\\'cniao;ovr:;cooo: vono\e;
,:vcro:, con::o;
c: 0co;,c:coo:xv[c:or ,vro:
275 riverovrovcvo:vovro::rc;
r\a0:ra;cvo:ovo; di Kv-
:o;0cvonovovnooo:.
Ir' rov '`Oyovxoirc ov:0cvo;
ocjovv' ,,c\o:co\o:or:-
ovc,:oro:n,or: novrijc::
ovcro: xoiMooo:'d,,c\:o;-
0a; . cn,voevKv:o
280 xoiro x\ccvvrorov ,oo:Brrov:xo:av
Aoo:\ovnon:a:. xcvo;,o cvco:oiv vo;
cve[ov\o;no[v;c,xv-
oo:;xorovrocrc[:orq,
o::c:evxoxov,\aooo: oc::a; n;
o0c' v[j:ovro:ocv,
294
PYTHI AN 4
or if, supported by upright columns
belonging to a master,
it performs a wretched labor within alien walls, '
having left its own place desolate.
But you are a most fitting healer, and Paian
2
Ep. 12
honors your saving light.
One must apply a gentle hand to tend 271
a sore wound.
For easily can even weaklings shake a city;
but to set it back in place again is a difcult
struggle indeed, unless suddenly
a god becomes a helmsman for the leaders.
But for you the blessings of such things are unfolding. 275
Dare to devote all your serious effort
to the cause of blessed Kyrene.
And among the sayings of Homer, take this one to heart Str. 13
and heed it: he said that a good messenger
brings the greatest honor to every affair.
3
The Muse, too, gains distinction through true
reporting. Kyrene and the most celebrated house
of Battos have leared to know the just mind 280
of Damophilos. For that man, a youth among boys,
but in counsels an elder
who has attained a life of one hundred years,
deprives a malicious tongue of its shining voice
and has leared to hate the person who is violent,
If Arkesilas does not recall Damophilos, he will serve a mas-
ter in another city. " Apollo the healer.
3 ef. I. 15.207.
295
PI NDAR
285 ovxcj|ov dvr|oro; d,o0o;
ovej:oxvvov r\o; ovv. o ,o xo:-
o; njo;d:0aov[ovj:rjov:.
cv v:v ,voxcv 0cnovo:, ov-
oro;noc. ovri'j:cv
rovr' dv:ororov, xo\o,:veoxovr' d:,x
cxro; c:vno. xoij:o:xcvo; 'Ar\o; ovo:
290 noono\o|c:v:,cnorq-
o;dno ,;dn -c xrcva:
\voceZcv;0:ro;T:ro:o; . cve:
j:cro[o\oi \{o:ro; ovov
|or|a:. d\\' cvcro: ov\oj::o: :ov-
oov:o:r\oo:;nor
olxo::c:,cn' `An\\a-
v;rc x: ovj:noo|o; cnov
295 0vj:ovcxo0o:njo;[o:no\\x:; vrcooo;
o:o\o: j::,,o[oora:no\|-
ro:;ov| 0:,j:cv,
j:r' a: v:njj:onojev, dno0; ' ovro; njo;
dorov
xo|xcj:v0oo:0',ono|o:,`Axco|\o,
cvcno,o:dj:[oo|a:cnov,
noorov O[ {c:a0c|;.
296

'i
PYTHI AN 4
not striving against the noble
nor delaying any accomplishment, since opportunity
in men's affairs has a brief span.
He has come to know it well; he seres it
as an attendant, not as a hireling. They say
that the most distressing thing is to know the good,
but to be forced to stand away. Yes, that Atlas 1
is wrestling even now with the sky
away from his homeland and his possessions;
yet immortal Zeus released the Titans. In the course of
time
sails are changed when the wind
dies down. But he prays that, having drained
his accursed disease to the end,
he may some day see his home; that he may join
the symposia at Apollo's fountain,
2
often give his heart over to youthful enjoyment, and,
taking up the orate lyre among his cultured citizens,
may attain peace,
neither doing harm to anyone, nor suffering it from his
townsmen.
And he would tell, Arkesilas,
what a spring of ambrosial verses he found,
when he was recently a guest at Thebes. `
' I. e. Damophilos.
In Kyrene (cf. Hdt. 6.158 and Call. Hymn 2.88).
3 The immortal verses are Pindar's. The closing lines consti
tute a sphrgis, in which the poet alludes to himself and predicts
the immortality of his poem through future performance (cf.
Bacch. 3.96-98).
297
Ant. 13
286
290
Ep. 13
295
PYTHI AN 5
This ode celebrates the same Pythian chariot victory
as the precedi
?
g poem, but is a much more straight
forard encomIUm of Arkesilas. The winter storm briefly
mentioned in line 10 probably refers to the political tur
moil associated with Damophilos' exile treated in Pyth. 4.
The praise of the driver Karrhotos is the most extensive
tribute to a charioteer in the odes. The scholia report that
he was rkesilas' brother-in-law, but there is no indepen
dent eVIdence to confrm this. The poem appears to have
been performed during the Kareian festival for Apollo,
who fgures very prominently in the ode (a he does in the
other two odes to Kyrenaians, Pyth. 4 and 9). At the
end of the poem Pindar prays for an Olympic victory. Ac
cording to a scholion on Pyth. 4 (inscr. b, 2. 92. 11 Dr. )
Arkesilas won an Olympic victory in 460, but sometime
afterard he was killed in a democratic revolution and his
dynasty came to an end.
.
Wealth is powerful when divinely granted and used
Vlrtuously to make friends (1-4). Such is true in the case
of Arke

ilas, wo has been favored by Kastor, the patron

of chanot
.
racmg (5-11) . A wise and just king, he is
blessed Wlth the present celebration of his victory at
Pytho ( 12-23), eared by his charioteer Karrhotos who
kept his chariot unscathed (while forty other driver fell)
298
I
PYTHI AN 5
and dedicated it in a shrine at Delphi (23-53) .
Athough no individual is free from adversity, the pros
perity of Battos continues to bless Kyrene (54-57) . A
catalog of Apollo's powers indirectly lists his benefactions
to the city: as colony founder who aided Battos; as healing
god who provides medicinal remedies; as god of poetry
who fosters peaceful order; and as oracular god who
helped settle tie Dorians in the Peloponnesos (57-72).
The poet states that his forefathers, the Spartan Aigei
dai, colonized Thera, whence derives the present Kar
neian festival (72-81) . The colonists from Thera still
honor an earlier group of settlers, the sons of Antenor,
who came from Troy after its destruction (82-88). The
poet relates that Battos enlarged the city's sanctuaries and
built a paved road for processions in honor of Apollo
(89-93); he surmises that Battos and the successive kings
in their tombs along the way share in this celebration of
their offspring, Arkesilas (93-107).
Pindar praises Arkesilas by briefy recounting what ev
eryone says: he is wise, courageous, appreciative of poet
ry, and an expert in chariot racing; he has sought all the
distinctions his homeland offers ( 107-117). Pindar prays
that Arkesilas' success may continue and that Zeus may
grant him a chariot victory in the OlympiC games
(11 7-124) .
299
5. APKE:I AA!H KTPHN AH
APMATI
A' I n\ov-o;cvvo0c:;,
-o:;dc- xcxoro: xo0o
[o-o:o; d:g n-ovnoo:-o; ov-o: d:,j
no\;:\o:cn-o:.
5 a 0coj' `Axco|\o,
o-o| :o x\v-o;
o:a:o; dxa:[o0|a:co
ov:cvo{|c-o:|oco:
cxojvoo-ov Ko-oo;
10 cv|o:B, c-o c::o:o[o:-c:
xo-o:0vooc:xo:o:co-|o:.
oooi -o:x\\:o:
o: xo-or0coo-o:v:o::.
oe ' cjc:o:c:|xno\v;o\[o; doc-o:
15 -o:,[oo:\cv;
OOtc,o\a:no\|a:
ccciov,,c:;
0o\o;o:o:-o-o:,o;
300
5. FOR ARKES I LAS OF KYRENE
WINNER, CHARIOT RACE, 462 B. C.
Wealth has wide strength,
when, conjoined with fawless excellence,
a mortal man receives it from destiny and takes it
as a companion which brings many friends.
LArkesilas, favored by heaven,
truly have you, from the very first steps
of your glorious life,
been seeking it along with fame,
thanks to Kastor of the golden chariot,
who, after a winter rainstorm, sheds fair weather
over your blessed hearth.
Truly, wise men sustain more nobly
even their god-given power.
And as you travel the path of justice, great prosperity
surrounds you:
frst, because you are king
of great cities
(since that privilege, most venerable
when combined with your understanding,
17 E1EL Hermann: EXEt eodd.
Str. 1
5
10
Ant. 1
15
301
PI NDAR
rcrovroc,vvj:cvovjcv:
20 j:xo xo :v:, x\ccvvo;
cvo;y noo Hv0:o;ln~o:;c\ev
c{o:rvcxoj:ovdva:,
`A~o\\evmv0vj:o roocj:\o0ra,
Kv:,\vxvvdj:xo-
~ov`Ao:-o;dcj:cvov,
25 no:rj:v 0covoo:vc0j:c:,
:\c:v Karo:{o'c-o:av
;ovrov`En:j:o0o;,a:
:ov0v,oroHoooBoro:
d:xcro j:ov; 0cj::oxjcvrov
30 d\\'d:o0j:orov
o Kooro\:o; {cvo-
0c;,o;dj:[o\c oio:: xj:o:;,
B' dxyro:; ov:o:;
~ooxovecx' :jj:ovrj:cvo;.
?
0

xorcxooc ,o cvrcovo cvo; ovocv o\\oxcj:oro:
35 onoocjmov
rcxrvov o|o\' ,a:
23 <E / E. Schmid: / <E codd.
24 Kvpav E. Schmid: KVpava 'v: Kvpava, Schroeder
33 8w8EK' av 8po/wV Thiersch: 8iV'EKa8p0/wv v.!. in f':
8viV'EKa8p0/wv By: 8w8EKa8p0/ov v.!. in ,
36 8a[8aA' Pauw: 8at8aA/wr' codd.
302
PYTHI AN 5
is an inherited glory);
1
and you are blessed now too, because in the glorious 20
Pythian festival you have lately gained a triumph with
your horses
and have welcomed this victory revel of men,
in which Apollo delights. Therefore, do not forget, Ep. 1
as you are being sung of at the sweet garden
of Aphrodite in Kyrene,
to give credit to the god for everything, 25
but to cherish above all comrades Karrhotos,
who did not bring with him Prophasis, daughter
of late-thinking Epimetheus,
2
when he came
to the palace of the justly ruling Battidai. .
But instead, after receiving hospitality 30
by the water of Kastalia, he placed around your hair
the prize for the frst -place chariot,
won with his reins intact Str. 2
in the sanctuary with its twelve swift-footed courses.
For he broke none of his strong equipment, but it is hung
in dedication-all that orate handiwork 35
of skilled craftsmen
` The text of 17-19 as transmitted in the MSS produces non
sense. Hermann's brEi for EXEt at least yields a tolerable mean
ing. I have understood the inherited "glory" (literally "eye,"
6qOaA/O,) and "privilege" (yfpa,) to be the tradition of eight
generations of rule in Kyrene from Battos to Arkesilas IV
Excuse, daughter of HindSight; for Epimetheus, see Hes.
Gp. 83-89.
303
PI NDAR
K:ooo: \ov
c:cv cvxo:\ncov:no;
0cov ro' c: xvno|oo::ov
40 \o0o:d' d:::ocv,
Krc;vro{ojo:r,c:Ho:ooo|
xo0ooo:ro ovonovvrv.
cx:ro|:v:njnc:
: rov cvc,ro:vno:oo:.
45 `A\c{:[:o, oe ' gvxoo: \,o:X:rc;.
oxa;, ;c:;
xoinco,o:xoro:
\,ovcrrov
:o:'cvrcoooxo:,
50 ncrvrcooo o::o:;\ov
|jo: xo|{o:; d[c jcv|,
\0c; yA:[vo;nc|ovc{ d,\oa:
d0\a:xoinora|o:n\:v.
nvov' ov; dnx\o;co:ovr' ocro:
55 o Brrov'cncro:no\o:-
o;o\[o;novroxoiro vov,
nvj,o;orco;oorc oc::rorov
{vo:o:. xcvv,c xoi[ovxono:
\ovrc; ncic|ov,o:,
,\aooo:cnc|oo dnvc:xcvvncnovr|ov
4
9 /a/-t' Boeckh: /V/-ta j(paraphr. ) : /vY/-wv 'B
52 dAawv Moschopulus: daOwv v: davwv V
304
I

PYTHI AN 5
which he drove past the hill of Krisa 1
on his way to the hollow valley
of the god. And so, the shrine of cypress wood
holds it beside the statue hewn from a single trunk,
which the bow-bearing Cretans
set up in the chamber on Pamassos.
Therefore, it is ftting to greet one's benefactor
with an eager mind.
Son of Alexbios,
2
the fair-haired Graces are setting you
ablaze.
Blessed are you in having,
though after great toil,
a memorial of fnest words of praise,
for among forty
charioteers who fell, you preserved
your chariot intact with your unflinching mind,
and now you have come to the plain of Libya
from the splendid games and to your native city.
No one is without his share of toil, nor will be.
But the ancient prosperity of Battos continues,
nevertheless, as it bestows now this, now that,
bastion for the city and most splendid light
3
for foreigners. Even loudly roaring lions
fled in fear from that man,
when he conveyed to them his outlandish speech.
4
I The chariot races were held at Krisa, down the slope from
the sanctuary in the hollow valley under M t. Pamassos.
Karrhotos. 3 Literally, eye (cf. o<OaA/o" 18).
Battos ("Stammerer") was cured of his impediment when
he encountered a lion in Kyrene and cried out in fear (Paus.
10. 15. 7).
305
40
Ant. 2
45
50
Ep. 2
55
PI NDAR
60 o ' do,ro;ox' `Av\\ov
0o;o|:[,
ooj:roj:| Kv-
vo;drc\;,vo:-oovrcvj:oo:v.
r ' g xoi[ojc:d::oa:
3 / ,
oxcoj:or ovjcoo:xo:,vvo::vcc:,
65 njcv rcx|0o::, |ao|rc Mooov o; : c0\
dn\covd,o,a:
.
,
c; cjon|o;c:oj:|o:,
j:vvr'dcc:
ov-:ov- Aoxco|j:o::
70 cv 'A,c:rc xoi o0coIJv\a
vooocv d\xc:ro;`Hjox\;o;
cx,vov;A:,::ov-c. ro'cj:ov,ojvc:v
dno n-o;cvorovx\o;,
0cv,c,cvvoj:vo:
75 ixov-oOovcorc;A:,uo:,
coico-jc;, ov 0covrcj, d\\o Mor:;,cv
no\v0v-ovo:o:
v0cvd:oc(j:cvo:,
'Ano\\o:,-c,
69 n Pauw: 70 Kat codd.
72 yapvEw Hermann: yapvE7' Vv: yapvEv7' dett. : yapvE'
Wilamowitz
I. e. Battos. For the establishment of the Dorians in
the Peloponnesos, see Pyth. 1.65-67.
306
PYTHI AN 5
It was Apollo the colony founder
who gave over the beasts to panic,
so that he might not fail to fulfill his oracles
for the steward of K yrene. 1
He also bestows remedies for grievous illnesses
upon men and women; he has provided
the kithara and confers the Muse on whomever he
pleases,
after putting peaceful good goverance
into their minds;
and he rules over
his oracular shrine, through which he settled
in Lakedaimon and in Argos and holy Pylos
the valiant descendants of Herakles
and Aigimios.
2
And mine it is to proclaim
3
the delightful glory that comes from Sparta,
whence men bor
as Aigeidai, my forefathers,
4
came to Thera,
not without divine favor, but some Fate led them.
From there we have received
the communal banquet with its many sacrifices,
and in your feast,
3 Others read yapv< with Wilamowitz: "he (Apollo) pro
claims."
*The Theban Aigeidai assisted in the establishment of the
Dorians in Amyklai (cf
.
Isth. 7. 14-15). I take the sentence to
refer to the poet's announcement of his personal connection with
the Spartan Aigeidai who subsequently emigrated to Thera.
Others argue that he is speaking for the chorus of Kyrenaians,
with whom he associates himself in the following lines.
307
60
Str. 3
65
70
Ant. 3
75
PI NDAR
80 Ko::', v o:-i oc[|oj:cv
Kv:o; d,ox-:j:vovn\o
ov-:-ovo\xoj:o:{:o:
Tjoc `A::o|o: ov'E\:,o\o:,
xon:a0coovn-ovncio:
85 v 'Ac -o '\o:nnov0vo:vxa
xo:-o:0vo|o:o:::-
co|vov-ocaoo:,
-ov`Aj:o-o-\y,o,c:ovoi0oo
o\o[o0co:x\cv0ovd:o|,a:.
x-|ocv' \ocoj:c|o:o0cov,
90 cv0v-oj::-c xo-0yxcv`Ano\\a:|o:
d\cj:[-o:nc:onoj:no
j:j:cv :nnxjo-ov
oxvjo-ov o:, :0o njv-
j:vo d,oo |oxc-o: 0o:a:.
j:xoj:e:d:a:j:
95 :o:c:, ga'nc-o \oooc[;.
-c0cenjoaj:-a:c-co:\ov-c`A|o:
[oo:\c:co|
v-| j:c,o\o:'dc-o:
oj:o\0ox
Icc o:0coo:xej:ovvvocvj:oo::,
dxovo:-|no:0o:| c:|,
oo:o\[o:v:-c xooov o
98-100 /eyaAiv 8' apETiv . . . pavBEtriv edd.: /eyaAav 8'
apETav . . . pavBeurav variis accentibus codd.; schol. inter acc.
sing. et gen. pI. fuctuant 100 KW/WV By.: KW/WV B' vett.
308
PYTHI AN 5
Kameian Apollo,
1
we venerate
the nobly built city of K yrene,
which the sons of Antenor, Trojan foreigners delighting
in bronze armor, still hold,
2
for they came with Helen
after they saw their homeland go up in smoke
during war. And warmly is that race of chariot drivers
3
welcomed with sacrifces
and greeted with gifts by those men
whom Aristoteles
4
brought in swift ships,
when he opened a deep path through the salt sea.
He founded larger sanctuaries for the gods,
and laid down a paved road, straight and level,
to echo with horses' hoofs
in processions that honor Apollo
and bring succor to mortals. And there, at the end
of the agora, he has lain apart since his death.
He was blessed while he dwelt among men,
and afterwards a hero worshiped by his people.
Apart from him before the palace are the other
sacred kings whose lot is Hades;
and perhaps they hear with their minds beneath the earth
of the great achievements
sprinkled with soft dew
beneath the outpourings of revel songs
their own happiness and a glory justly shared
` For the transfer of the Kameian festival from Sparta to
Thera to Kyrene and its connections with the Theban Oidipodai,
see Call. Hymn 2.71-79. 2 The Trojan Antenoridai had set
tled the city before the colonization from Thera. The
Antenoridai. 4 Another name for Battos; his descendants
still honor the Antenoridai.
309
80
Ep. 3
86
90
Str. 4
95
100
PI NDAR
v:xvr'`Ajxco rovc vdo:vov
cjccvooo4oi[ovdnvco,
105 o:roHv0a:0cv
-oxo\\|::xov\v-jmvo~ovav
\o;o|cv. :oxcivovc~o:vovovvcro|
\c,j:cvovcjo
xooovoj:ev o\:x|o;
110 vov[c-o:
,\ooov rc 0oo; e-ovvc-co;
cvov:vo|cro;c\cro
d,a:|o;', cjxo; oo:, o0vo;
vrcMo|oo:o:~o-ovo; d~oj:o-o; |\o;,
115 ~o:ro|0' oj:o-y\ro;oo;
oo:-'c|oi:c~:a|a:xo\a:ooo:,
-c-\j:oxc. 0c;-o|
-o vvvrccjjovrc\civ:oo:v,
xoi-o\o:~ovoj:oio, Ko:|o:j:xoc;,
:oi-' c~' ,o:o:vdj:|-c[ov\oi;
120 co,j: 0oo~oi;dvj:o:
cj:c|o xora~voooj:o\|o::o:.
A:;ro:vo;j:,o; xv[c:
o|j:o:' d:a: |\ov.
cvoj:o|v:v`O\vj:~|
rov-o j:cv,o;~: Br-ov,vc.
107 braLVEovn Moschopulus: alvEovn vett.
118 o/ota Hartung: m Vv
310
I

PYTHI AN 5
with their son Arkesilas. It is fitting for him in a song
by young men to call upon Phoebus of the golden lyre,
1
since he has obtained from Pytho,
in recompense for his expenditures,
the gracious victory song. Experts praise that man;
I shall tell the common report:
he cultivates a mind
beyond his years,
and tongue as well; in courage he is a long-winged
eagle among birds;
his strength in competition is like a bulwark;
he soars among the Muses from his mother;
2
he has shown himself to be a skillful charioteer;
and he has boldly essayed all the avenues to his
homeland's noble achievements. A god graciously
brings his power to fulfllment now,
and in the future may you blessed children of Kronos
permit him to have like success in his deeds and counsels,
that no stormy blast of autumn winds
may disrupt his lifetime.
Truly the great mind ofZeus steers
the fortune of men who are dear to him.
I pray that he grant another such prize at Olympia
to the race of Battos.
Or sword.
It is ambiguous whether he was taught by his mother or was
famous from his earliest years (schol. ).
124
Em Triclinius:
.
brt vett.
311
Ant. 4
106
110
115
Ep. 4
120
PYTHI AN 6
Athough the occasion of the ode is a Pythian chariot
victory (also mentioned at al. 2. 49-51) won by Xeno
krates of Akragas, younger brother of Theron, probably in
490 B.C. , most of the poem is devoted to praise of his son
Thrasyboulos. A tradition going back to the scholia claims
that Thrasyboulos drove the chariot, but this is probably
fabricated to explain his prominence in the poem. 1sth. 2,
composed after Xenokrates' death, also contains extended
praise ofThrasyboulos.
The opening lines suggest that the poem is meant to
accompany a procession to Apollo's temple at Delphi,
whose way was lined with treasuries belonging to various
cities (the Athenians' has been reconstructed), but as the
poem continues, the actual treasuries are replaced by a
metaphorical storehouse of songs (cf al. 6. 1-4 for an
other example of a poem portrayed as a bUilding)
.
The poet invokes Aphrodite and the Graces as he
approaches Apollo's temple ( 1-4). Here a treasury of
Pythian hymns has been erected for the Emmenidai of
Akragas and for Xenokrates, one which neither rain nor
wind can destroy (5-14), and whose faade proclaims the
victory of Thrasyboulos' father ( 14-18).
The remainder of the poem contains praise of Thrasy
boulos for follOwing the counsel that Cheiron gave to
312
PYTHI AN 6
Achilles, namely to honor Zeus and one's parents ( 19-27).
A brief narrative in ring composition recounts how
Antilochos gave his life to save his father from Memnon's
attack (28-43). In the present generation Thrasyboulos
comes closest to the ideal of such filial devotion (44-45).
He emulates his uncle Theron, uses his wealth intelli
gently, is not insolent, enjoys poetry, is devoted to horse
racing, and makes a pleasant companion (46-54).
313
A'
5
B'
1 1
15
6. SENOKP ATEI AKP Ar ANTI N!I
APMATI
`Axovoo-' ,o \xe~:o;`Ao:-o;
ovo:Xoj:-ov
d:o~o\:(opv,j:o\ovc[jj:ov
0o:o; c, :a: ~ooo,:cvo
Hv0:xo;v0' \[:oov`E,:j:cv:o;
~o-o:-'`Ax,ov-:xoi,:o:cvox-c:
c-o,:o;vvov
0oovo; c:~o\vjvp
`A~o\\ov:-c-c:o-o :~
-ovov-ccm;o,:[o;, c~ox-o; c\a:
c[j:ovvc\o;
o-jo-o; dc:\o;, ov-' vco;c;j:vov;
o\o;{oo:~oj:jcc
-v~-j:cvov.cOE ~joo~ov: xo0oj
(
~o-i-c
(
, Ojoov[ov\c, xo:v:-c,cvc
\,oo 0vo-ov
4 vouv Hermann: vuovcodd.
12 (VE/Ot E(paraphr. )
314
6. FOR XENOKRATES OF AKRAGAS
WI NNER, CHARIOT RACE, 490 B. C.
Listen! for indeed we are plowing once again
the field of bright-eyed Aphrodite
or of the Graces, as we proceed to the enshrined
navel of the loudly rumbling earth,
1
where at hand for the fortunate Emmenidai
and for Akragas on its river, yes, and for Xenokrates,
a Pythian victor's
treasure house of hymns
has been built in Apollo's valley rich in gold,
one which neither winter rain, coming from abroad
as a relentless army
from a loudly rumbling cloud, nor wind shall buffet
and with their deluge of silt carry into the depths
of the sea. But in clear light its front
will proclaim a chariot victory,
famous in men's speech,
Delphi was considered to be the navel of the earth; see
Pyth. 4.5, note 2.
14 TV1T6/EVOV Dawes: TV1T6/EVOt v(paraphr. ): TV1T6/E-
VO V 15 KOW V
315
Str. 1
5
Str. 2
11
15
PI NDAR
cvo{o: j:o :|xov
K:oo|o:;c:~-vo; d~o,,c\c.
r' ov-o:oc0ev:::c~|co cj;, 0o:
20 ,c;cj:oov:ov,
nf ~o-' cvovjco:o:-j:c,o\oo0cvc
4:\vo; v|ovov:oj::
H\ct~oo:vc: j:\:o-o j:e: Ko:|ov,
[ov~ovo-co~a:xcovvo:-c~v-o:::,
25 0co: o[co0o:
-ov-o;ej:~o-cj:a;
dj:c|c:,o:o:[|o:vc~joj::o:.

,c:-oxo~-co:`A:-|\oo;[:o-o;
:o-o-o o:,
30 ;vc0:-o~o-;,cvo|j:[o-o:
d:oj:c|:o:;o--oo:A|0:vo:
Mj:vo:o. Nco-jco:,o i~~o;j:' c~o
Ha; cx[c\ov o:0c|; o ' vcv
xo-o:o:,o;
35 Mcooo:|ove,jo:-o;
o:0coo j:[ooc~oo o:,
21
:d E. Schmid: :ov codd.
24{upv01U Maas
25
(EOV B
Or it, the precept (schol. ) . Some understand VLV to refer to
personified Victory.
316
PYTHI AN 6
shared by your father, Thrasyboulos, and your clan,
won in the dells of Krisa.
Truly, by keeping him 1 at your right hand,
you uphold the precept,
whose words of advice they say Philyra's son2
once gave to the mighty son of Pe le us in the mountains,
3
when he was away from his parents: above all gods
to revere Kronos' son, loud-voiced lord
of lightning and thunder,
and never to deprive oflike honor
one's parents during their allotted lifetime.
4
In the past as well, mighty Antilochos
bore such thoughts in mind,
who died to save his father by standing up to
the man-slaughtering general of the Ethiopians,
Memnon. 5 For N estor's chariot had became entangled
when his horse was struck by Paris' arrows, and he
6
was brandishing his powerful spear.
In panic the mind of the old man
from Messene shouted to his son,
Cheiron.
3 Achilles, when under the tutelage of Cheiron on Mt. Pelion
(cf. Nem. 3.43-2).
*The scholiast says that this comes from "The Precepts of
Cheiron" (XE'pWVO, 'T1O(fKUt), attributed to Hesiod (fr 283).
This episode comes from the Aithiopis by Arktinos. At I.
8.80-117 Diomedes rescues Nestor from Hektor; Antilochos'
death is briefly mentioned at Od. 4. 187-188. Xen. Cyn. 1. 14
shows how well known the story was. Memnon.
317
Str. 3
20
25
Str. 4
30
35
PI NDAR
E' ojio:nc-e; ' ' no;ovxdn:cv ov-ov
jivov ' o 0cio; d:
n|o-o ev 0ovo-o:o xoji:o: no-j;,
40 cqov-c:no\o:,cvc
on\o-jo:o:v,o:nc\e:ov-c\oo:;
vno-o;djii-oxcvo:vcvnjo;dc-ov.
-ojievno|xc:
-o :v:exoOjoov[ov\o;
45 no-jo:jio\:o-onjo; o-0jio: [o,
F'
no-j -' cncjc:o; d,\oto:nooo:.
ven\ov-ov,c:,
:xo: ov0'vjon\o:[o: na:,
oo|o:' cvvoio:H:c|a:
50 -|:-',`E\\:0o:, c:;;:cn:avcoa:,
o\ov-::, Hooc::, njooc-o:.
,\vxcioe:
xoiovjin-o:oooji:\civ
jic\:ooa:dj:c|[c-o:--ovnvov.
4
6 a:Aatal Bergk
2
: a:Aatal E8LfEl codd.
50 apXEL< Bowra: apyaL, mO'aL, codd.: w1aO'a, Wilam
owitz: apOoL, Erbse I L11LCW 0'68wv M. Schmidt ( i11KU,
a(LtAAa, paraphr. ) : L11EtaV EOo8ov codd.
51 1poOxeraL E. Schmid: 1poOEPXEmL codd.
318
PYTHI AN 6
nor indeed did he hurl forth a word that fell to the
ground:
that godlike man took a stand right there
and bought his father's rescue with his own death,
and, for doing that awesome deed, he was deemed
by the young men of that ancient generation
to be foremost in virtuous behavior toward parents.
Those things are past:
but of men now, Thrasyboulos
has come closest to the standard of filial devotion,
while approaching his uncle
1
in all manner of splendor.
He uses his wealth with intelligence,
he enjoys a youth without injustice or insolence,
and culls wisdom in the haunts of the Pierians.
And to you, Earthshaker, who rule the paths to horse
racing,
he keeps close, Poseidon, with a mind you greatly favor.
And his sweet spirit,
in company with his drinking companions,
2
surpasses the perforated labor of bees.
3
I Theron.
2 For another portrait of a young nobleman, see Pyth.
4.294-297. Fr 124 from an encomium to Thasyboulos was per
haps intended for such a party.
3 A kenning for honeycomb (cE. C/. 6.47).
319
Str. 5
40
45
Str. 6
50
PYTHIAN 7
Although this is the shortest ode in the collection, it is
to an important man, Megakles, son of Hippokrates,
nephew and son-in-law of the legislator Kleisthenes, and
uncle of Perikles, all members of a prominent Athenian
family, the Alkmaionidai. Megakles' great-grandfather
Alkmaion had won an Olympic chariot victory in 592 . L.
(alluded to in 14-15; cf Hdt. 6. 125). In 548 the Alk
maionidai restored the bured temple of Apollo at Delphi
with a bright facade of Parian marble (Hdt. 5.62). At the
time of this ode, probably 486, Megakles was in exile after
his ostracism from Athens the previous year (cf. Arist.
Ath. Pol. 22. 5).
Athens provides the best opening for an ode, because
it and the Alkmaionidai are the most celebrated city and
family in Hellas ( 1-8). All Greece knows of their recon
struction of Apollo's temple (9-12). The family boasts
fve Isthmian, one Olympic, and two Pythian victories
( 13-17a). Although the poet rejoices in the family's suc
cess, he is saddened by the envy that has been directed
against Megakles and consoles him by pointing out that
abiding prosperity is subject to vicissitudes ( 18-21) .
321
7. MEr AKAEI A8HN AI UI
TEOPIHHDI
K\\:o-oro: c,o\on\:c;`A0a:o:
noo|a:`A\xor:a:cvvo0crc
3/4 ,crc xjy~' do:a:i~~o:o:[o\o0o:.
5/6 ~c-|:o~-o:, -|:ooxor:o|a::v{co:
~:oro-cor
`E\: ~v0o0o:,
~oo:o:,o ~o\|co: \,o;o:\c
10 `Ec0o;do-o:, 'A~o\\or, o-cr
11/12 o:IIv0a::|0oy-o-cv{o:.
13/14 ,o:-:' c nr-ccr`Io0orxo:, |o '
xnj
-
;
15 6to< `O\v~:;,
vo ' d~oK|o;,
5 TtVa oIKov Boeckh: TlVa T' oIKov Vv: Tiv' oIKov yl
6 l'aiwl codd.: l'aiolT' vel T' aiwl ( aK01Wl) vel aiwl'( L)
schol. | OllV/a(eaL Boeckh: ol'V/La(aL Vv (ol'v/La(w v.!. in f e
paraphr. ): ol'v/La(O/LaL Didymus(?), Byz.
322
7. FOR MEGAKLES OF ATHENS
WI NNER, CHARI OT RACE, 486 B. C.
The great city of Athens is the fairest prelude
to lay down as a foundation for songs to honor
the mighty race of the Alkmaionidai for their horses.
For what fatherland, what house can you inhabit and
name
with a more illustrious
reputation in Hellas?
None, for among all cities travels the report
about Erechtheus' citizens,
1
Apollo, who made
your temple in divine Pytho splendid to behold.
Five victories at the Isthmos prompt me, as does one
outstanding Olympic festival ofZeus
and two victories at Kirrha, 2
L Megakles,
The Alkmaionidai. Erechtheus was 8 early king of Athens.
" The city below Delphi where the equestrian events were
held.
10-11 TEOl' 36/Loll V: TEoll TE 36/Lol v: TE6l' yE 36/Lol'
Moschopulus: TEOl' 7p630/Lol' Schroeder
323
Str.
3/4
5/6
Ant.
10
11/12
13/14
15
Ep.
PI NDAR
17a vo|rcxoi~jo,vov.
:c' cv~o,|o|a r: ro' :vo:,
0o:o:dc:[cvovroxo\oc,o. o:r|,c:
20 ovro x'd:i~ojo:|ov
0\\o:oo: cvo:o:|o:roxoirocco0o:.
20 k

Wilamowitz: kevcodd.
324
I ;
PYTHI AN 7
belonging to your family and forebears.
Irejoice greatly at your recent success, but this grieves
me,
that envyl requites your noble deeds. Yet they say
that in this way happiness which abides
and flourishes brings a man now this, now that.
2
Megakles' ostracism.
" For the contrast of a family's long-term prosperity with the
vicissitudes of individual, see Pyth. 5. 54- 55.
325
17a
20
PYTHIAN 8
If the scholiastic headnote is correct, the date of Aris
tomenes' victory is 446, making this the latest ode in the
collection. There has been much speculation on the ode's
historical circumstances, especially the troubled relations
between Aigina and Athens, but it must remain mere
speculation, since the poem contains no overt reference
to Athens.
A puzzling feature is the poet's statement that Alkman
was his neighbor, the guardian of his possessions, and had
prophesied to him as he traveled to Delphi (58-60) .
From the time of the scholia questions have arisen about
the content of the prophecy (was it a prediction of Aris
tomenes' victory?) and, more importantly, whether the
poet is speaking in his own person or for the chorus.
Either choice involves difculties; on balance a slightly
stronger case can be made for the poet as speaker.
A recurrent theme in the ode is the alteration of fail
ure and success, evident in the narrative, in which the
disaster of Adrastos' frst expedition against Thebes is fol
lowed by the success ten years later of a second, though at
the cost of his son's life; in the description of the four
defeated athletes' homecoming; and in the famous con
cluding lines on the fragility of the human condition ("a
dream of a shadow"). The address, c ~o(33), and the
326
PYTHI AN 8
reference to "mother" (85) point to Aristomenes' youth
fulness, but there is no clear indication that his victory
was in the boys' division.
The ode opens with a hymn to Hesychia (Peace,
Concord) ( 1-5). She fosters gentleness, but when pro
voked she is a formidable adversary, as Porphyrion and
Typh;s discovered (6-20).
.
The island of Aigina is celebrated for Its heroes, the
Aiakidai and for its men (21-28), but the poet declines to
go into
'
detail about them (29-32). Instead, he praises
Aristomenes, who, by imitating his uncles' success in ath
letics, merits what Amphiaraos propheSied as the Epi
?
o
noi were fghting before Thebes (32-42) . After notmg
tIlat sons inherit tIleir fathers' determination, as in the
case of his own son Alkman, Amphiaraos predicted that
Adrastos would be victorious, but would lose his son
(43-55) . Alkman is praised for prophesying to the poet on
his way to Delphi (56-60).
.
Pindar mentions victories granted to Anstomenes by
Apollo in his festivals at Pytho and on Aigina, and asks for
the gods' continued favor (61-72). If men are successful
without great effort, many think them wise, but in fact tile
gods determine who prevails (73-77) .
After listing Aristomenes' victories at Megara, Mara
thon, and Aigina, the poet depicts the unhappy home
coming of the four opponents he defeated at Delpi
(78-87). Unlike them, the victor is soaring because of hIs
recent accomplishment and has high aspirations (88-9?) .
But joy i s transitory, and man's existence i s insubstantial;
nevertheless, when the gods grant success, life is sweet
(93-97) . The poem concludes with a prayer for Zeus and
the Aiakidai to preserve Aigina's freedom (98-100) .
327
8. API TOMENEI Al rI NHTHI
II AAAI !THI
A' 4:\jov'Hov|o, |xo;
a c,:o-no\: 0v,o-c,
[ov\a: -cxoino\ov
o:oox\o

o;vc--o;
5 IIv0:::xo:-:ov `Aj:o-ovc: xcv.
-v ,o-o o\0oxov(o:-c xoino0civ oa;
cn|o-ooo: xo: ovv d-jcxci
1 ' on-ov-:;dc|\:o:
xo| x-ovcvc\ooj,
10 -ociovocvov
vov-:(o:ooxo-c: -:0ci;
[::cvv-\, -ovoveIJov|ovo0cv
no' ooo:c(cc0|(ov. xo; e|\-o-ov,
cxv-o;et -:;cxovo:.
15 [|oexoic,o\ovo:oo\cvcvjvq.
6 apgu< V
328
I
' I
I
8. FOR ARI STOMENES OF AI GI NA
WI NNER, WRESTLI NG, 446 B. C.
Kindly Peace, 1 0 maker of greatest cities Str. 1
and daughter ofJustice,
you who hold the supreme keys
of counsels and wars,
accept this honor for a Pythian victory from Aristomenes. 5
For you know how to bestow gentleness and likewise
to receive it with unerring appropriateness;
but, whenever someone fes implacable Ant.
hatred in his heart,
you roughly oppose the might 10
of enemies and put their insolence
in the bilge. Porphyrion
2
did not know your power
when he unduly provoked you. Gain is most precious
if one takes it from the home of a willing giver.
But force brings down even the proud boaster in the end. Ep. 1
Hesychia, peace within the polis, is the daughter of Justice
(Dike).
" King of the Giants, slain by Apollo according to Pindar (18),
but by Herakles' arrows according to Apollod. 1.6.2.
329
PI NDAR
Tva; K:\:cxor,xovo;ovv:v\vcv,
oveov[oo:\cv; I:,:rov :a0c:excov:
-o:o:T `A~\\a:o; ;cv:cvci v
c:xc:ovcxro K:o0c:o-co:a:c:o:
20 v:ov~o:IIo:ooo::Aoj:ci-c xe.
B' ~coc 'ovXo:ra:cx;
e :xo:~o\:;dcroi;
x\c::oio:vA|ox:av
0:,oioovaoo; rc\co:'c:
25 o: d~' da; . ~o\\oio: :ev,o dc:c-o:
::xoo:;: dc0\o:; 0o:oo xoi 0ooi;
vcc--ov;]ao; :o:;
-o exoid:o::~c~c:
c|:i ' oo\o; d:o0c:c:
30 ~aoovoxo,o:o:
\vrc xoi0c,:oo\0ox,
: xjo; \0a: xv:oj. ro' v~oo::o: rov
ro rcovco;, o ~oi, vcerorov xo\a:,
:~orovovd:i:oo:.
35 ~o\o:orcoo:,o |vcvov :oroc\cov;
Ov\v~:rcOc,v-ovovxorc\c,c:;,
oveK\c:ro:o:ov:xo: `Io0oi 0oov,vo:
20 Iapva(i8, Boeckh: Iapva<iq codd.
37 KAHTOfaxov V
330
PYTRI AN 8
Hundred-headed Typhos from Cilicia did not escape it,
1
16
nor indeed the king of the Giants, for they were overcome
by a thunderbolt and the arrows of Apollo, who graciously
welcomed the son ofXenarkes2 from Kirrha, crowned
with Parnassian foliage
3
and with a Doric victory reveL 20
Not far from the Graces has the lot Str. 2
of this just island city fallen,
which has attained the renowned achievements
of the Aiakidai; and it possesses consummate
fame from the beginning: it is sung for rearing 25
heroes who were supreme in many victorious contests
and in swift battles,
and it is distinguished for its men as well. Ant. 2
But Iam not at leisure to dedicate
the whole long story 30
to the lyre and gentle voice,
lest tedious excess come and vex us. But that debt owed
to you, my boy, which runs at my feet, the latest of glories,
let it take flight through my art.
For, following the trail of your materal uncles in Ep. 2
wrestling,
you do not disgrace Theognetos at Olympia4 36
or Kleitomachos' bold-limbed victory at the Isthmos,
' Resychia's force. For the suppression of Typhos, see Res.
Th. 820-868 and Pyth. 1. 15-28.
Aristomenes. 3 Laurel.
For Theognetos' OlympiC victory in wrestling, see A.P 16.2
(attributed to Simonides) and Paus. 6.9. 1. Kleitomachos is other
wise unknown.
331
PI NDAR
ov{a:oi n-jov Mc:vX:a:\,ovjc:;,
-ovvvc no-' `O:x\o;noi; cvn-ov\o:; |a:
40 v|ov;Oj[o:;o|v:{o-onoj:ov-o;o|,
r ' on-' dn' "A,co;\v0o:
cv-jovoo:`Ev:,ovo:.
a'clncj:ojvovov
"v-o,cvvoiovcn:njnc:
45 cxno-jov no:oi \j:o. 0ooj:o: oo;
xo:-ono:x:\ovo|0a;`A\xj:a:' cn' don:o;
voj:ov-onjo-ovcvKj:ovu\o:;.
o oi xoj:v njo-n0
:v:dc:o:o;cvc-o:
50 ojv:o; d,,c\:
' Ajoo-o; go; -ooxo0cv
dv-:on{c:. j:vo;,o cx Ao:oa:o-jo-ov
0ovv-o; o-o \{o:; v:ov, -v 0cov
d:{c-o: \o ov: d[\o[ci
55 "A[ov-o; cvjvov; d,v;. -o:ov-ov
c0,{o-'`Aj::o;

o:jovoi xoiov-;
` A\xj:a:o o-cvo:o: [\\a, [o:vooi xoij::,
,c:-ov-:o:xoi x-c:a: v\o{ cj:av
o:-ooc: |v-:,a;j:o\o:no' do::j:ov,
c j:o:-cvj:-a:-'co-oov,,vo:o:-vo:;.
44
E7nTPE7EL VEac et cod. PIut. L
332
PYTHI AN 8
but exalting the clan of the Meidylidai you ear the very
words
which Olkles' son
1
once spoke in riddles as he beheld
the sons standing firm in battle at seven-gated Thebes,
when the Epigonoi came from Argos
on a second expedition.
Thus he spoke as they fought:
"By nature the noble resolve from fathers
shines forth in their sons. Iclearly see
Alkman wielding the dappled serpent on his fashing
shield in the forefront at the gates of Kadmos.
2
But he who suffered in a former defeat,
the hero Adrastos,
is now met with news
of better omen, but in his own household
he will fare otherwise: for he alone from the Danaan army
will gather the bones of his dead son and with the favor
of the gods will come with his host unharmed
to the spacious streets of Abas."
3
Such were
the pronouncements of Amphiaraos, and Itoo am glad
to pelt Alkman with wreaths and sprinkle him with song,
because as my neighbor and guardian of my possessions,
he met me on my way to the earth's famed navel
and employed his inherited skills in prophecy.
'Amphiaraos. Amphiaraos was both a seer and a
fghter (cf. C/. 6.16-17); the snake on Alkman's shield symbolizes
his own prophetic powers (schol. ). 3 Twelfth king of Argos.
333
40
Str. 3
45
Ant. 3
50
Ep. 3
56
60
PI NDAR
-v','Exoro[\c, n:Oxov
:oo:cvx\o:ovov
Hv0a:o; cv,v\o:;
roevj.ylO-ov-0:orov
65 onooo; olxo:enjo0cvno\o:o::
nc:-oc0\|ovov:oj-o;vo;cn,oyc;
a:o{, xv-: ' cvoo: :
xor r:v' o:|o: [\nco
d'cxoo-o:, ooo :oj:o:.
70 xeevvc\c
A|xo nooroxc 0cov'on:v
0o:o: o:-a, :oxc; vj.c-o:;rto:;.
c|,-:;co\onvo-o:ov:j:oxnv,
no\\o; ooo;oxc~c' d:a:
75 [|o:xojvooj.cv0o[ov\o:o:oo:o;
-o ' ovxcn'd:o:xci-o: o|a: eno|oc:,
\o-' \o: unc0c[\a:, \o: ' vnoc:a:.
rj xor[oo' cv Mc,o:;' cc:;yo;
j:vr'cv Moo0a:o; Ho;r' d,a:'cn:ej:ov
80 :|xo:;-:ooo; a`A:o-cvc; j.oooo; c,
72 a<(ovov y'P (avEi<(ovov paraphr. ): a<(trov Vv
78 p.Erpov VEGsH'P: pfrP<(w) reIl. I Karaiaw" eu Bergk
2
:
Karaiaivft By.: Karaiaivft euvett.
334
PYTHI AN 8
And you, Far-shooter, who gover
the all-welcomingl famous temple
in the vales of Pytho,
it was there that you granted the greatest
of joys, and earlier at home you bestowed the coveted gift
of the pentathlon during the festivities for you both.
2
Llord, Ipray that with a willing mind
you look with harmonious favor
on each step that Itake.
Beside the sweetly singing revel band
Justice has taken her stand; and I request the gods'
ungrudging favor, Xenarkes, upon your family's good
fortune;
for if someone has gained success without long labor,
he seems to many to be a wise man among fools
and to arm his life with effective good planning.
But those things do not rest with men; a god grants them,
exalting now one man, but throwing another beneath the
hands.
3
Enter the contest in due measure.
4
AtMegara you hold
the prize
and in the plain of Marathon; and with three victories you
mastered Hera's local contest,
5
0 Aristomenes, by your
effort.
I.e. Panhellenic. " The Aiginetan Delphinia (schol. );
Apollo's sister Artemis is included in the plural "pa',.
3 The example is from wrestling, where the object is to stay
on top while throwing the opponent under one's hands.
Addressed to Aristomenes. The Aiginetan Heraia,
established in imitation of the Argive games (schol. ).
335
Str. 4
65
Ant. 4
70
Ep. 4
76
80
PI NDAR
E' --oo: ' nc-c;v0cv
ooo-coo:xoxojovov,
-oi;ov-cvo-o;oa;
no\nvo;: Hv0 x|0,
85 ove o\v-ovno o-' diy\a;,\vxv;
ajocvo xo-o \ovo;'0a:dnoo
n-eooov-:,ovoco,:o.
o exo\:-:vov\oo:
[j-o-o;nc,\o;
90 {\n|o;n-o-o
vnon-jo; d:oo; ov
xooo:o n\ov-ov :o:. : ' \|, [jo-ov
-o-cjcvovov{c-o ov-o exoin|-vcoo|,
dno-n,:oococovov.
95 nocjo -|-:;, -|' ov -:;, oxo; o:o
:0ano;. d\' -ov o,\o oo-o;c0j,
\oco:yyo;nco-:: d:a: xoi c|\o;o|o:.
A,::o|\oo-c, \o0j o-\
n\::-ovc x{cixoixjov-:ovvA|oxo
100 H\ciT xd,o0qTc\oa:ovv-'`A\ci.
-
87 SSaY/EVO' Boeckh (SaKVO/VO, paraphr. ) : SSa'Y/EVDt
codd.
96 avBpw7o (e schol. ad Nem. 6.4) Boeckh (cf. Plut. ,
Eustath. ) : avBpw7o, codd.
97 <EYYO E7HTTtv Heyne: E7w'n <EYYO codd.
336
PYTHI AN 8
And upon four bodies you fell from above St. 5
with hostile intent,
1
for whom no homecoming as happy as yours
was decided at the Pythian festival,
nor upon returning to their mothers did sweet laughter 85
arouse joy all around; but staying clear of their enemies
they shrink down alleyways, bitten by failure.
But he who has been allotted a new success Ant. 5
is inspired by hope at his great splendor
and takes flight 90
on the wings of manly deeds, having
aspirations superior to wealth. In a short time the delight
of mortals burgeons, but so too does it fall to the ground
when shaken by a hostile purpose.
2
Creatures of a day! What is someone? What is no one?
3
A Ep. 5
dream of a shadow
is man. But whenever Zeus-given brightness comes, 96
a shining light rests upon men, and a gentle life.
Dear mother Aigina, on its voyage of freedom
safeguard this city, together with Zeus and king Aiakos,
Peleus and noble Telamon, and with Achilles. 100
' For a similar example of defeating four successive oppo
nents, see C/. 8.67-69.
" Or decree (Le. of a god) . One scholion ( 133) proposes "con
trary to expectation" for a7OrP07'' YVW/I.
3 Or what is a man, what is he not? (schol. ).
337
PYTHI AN 9
Probably performed in 474, this is the only ode to a
victor of the race in armor. Because of the future c:
(73), many commentators have supposed that the ode was
performed in Thebes, but the future cannot be taken so
literally (cf. xoooj:o:at 89, "I shall [now] celebrate").
The main narrative, which tells of Apollo's love for the
huntress Kyrene, whom he takes from Thessaly to
become queen of the foremost city in Libya, is structured
by

ompositon. The critical moment of Apollo's

declSlon IS dramatIzed in a dialogue with Cheiron.
Afer cataloguing Telesikrates' victories, Pindar con
cludes the poem with a second narrative, ostensibly
requested by the victor, telling how Telesikates' ancestor
won his wife in a foot race arranged by her father Antaios
in imitation of Danaos' marriage of his daughters. This
account brings together two prominent themes in the
ode, athletics and marriage.
Upon announcing his intention to praise Telesikrates
and Kyrene ( 1-4), the poet moves immediately into a
summary of the forthcoming narrative: Apollo took
Kyrene from eli

n
.
in Thessaly to be queen of Libya,
where Aphrodlte Jomed them in marriage (5-13). She,
the daughter of Hypseus, king of the Lapithai, disliked
the typical activities of girls, preferring instead to protect
338
PYTHI AN 9
her father's herds from wild predators ( 14-25) . When
Apollo saw her wrestling with a lion, he called Cheiron
from his cave to inquire about the girl's identity and to ask
ifhe should make love to her (26-37).
Cheiron answers playfully that frst loves must be con
summated in private and chides Apollo for asking ques
tions to which he, the all-knOwing god, already knows the
answers (38-49) . Nonetheless, he predicts that Apollo
will establish Kyrene in Libya, where she will reign and
bear a son, Aristaios, who will protect the flocks (50-65).
His prediction is Swiftly fulfilled; on that very day she is
installed as queen of a city famous for athletics (66-70).
She will welcome Telesikrates, who was victorious at
Pytho (71-75).
The poet has much to say in praise of the victor, but
chooses to elaborate a few well-chosen themes (76-79).
As he recalls Telesikrates' victory in the Theban Iolaia, he
tells briefly of the Theban heroes Iolaos, Herakles, and
Iphikles (79-89a). After praying for the Graces' contin
ued inspiration, he extends the catalogue with three
victories at Aigina and Megara (89a-92) and exhorts Tele
sikrates' townsmen to praise him for his many victories in
the local games (93-103) .
The poet i s asked to tell of the victor's ancestor Alexi
damos, who won his bride in a foot race ( 103-125).
339
9. TEAEI KP A TEI KTPHN AH lI
OIIAITOIPOMll I
A' `E0\oo\xoc:oHv0:o:|xo:
o:[o0v{evo:oodyy\a:
Tc\co:x- Xo|-coo:ycyovcv
o\[:ov :o:o|~~ovo-c:aoKv:o;
5 -ovo o:-c:; dvcooo,a:
x Ho\|ov x\~ov~o-eAo-oto;
~oo', cvc:x-cjvo co0:o:dyjo-o:
6a |, -0:v:v~o\v\ov
xoico\vxo~o--o; 0qxco~o:vov 0o:;
|{o: dcc|ov -|: t-
o-o: 0\\o:oov o|xcv.
cx-o' dyvjcc( `Ao|
10 A\:o:cvov0co-a:
ovo~-o:ocjixov
xo|oo~iy\vxco;c`vo;o-ov[\c:o:a,
v:o:{o:oo0c-c,o:
:0: xovj 0' 'Tjo;cvv[|o
0, Aon0:c~\a:-ov-x:; :[oo:\cv;
340
9. FOR TELESI KRATES OF KYRENE
WI NNER, RACE I N ARMOR, 474 B. C.
I wish, in announcing that fortunate man Telesikrates
as a bronze-shielded Pythian victor,
to proclaim with the aid of the deep-bosomed Graces
a crowning song for chariot-driving Kyrene,
whom the long-haired son of Leto
1
once seized from the wind-echoing folds of Pelion,
and brought the virgin huntress in his golden
chariot to a place where he made her mistress
of a land rich in flocks and abounding in fruit,
to inhabit the lovely and flourishing
root of the third continent.
2
Silver-footed Aphrodite welcomed
her Delian-born guest
as she laid a gentle hand on his divinely wrought chariot,
and shed loving reverence over their sweet acts oflove,
joining together in a marriage of mutual consent
the god and the daughter of mighty Hypseus,
who at that time was king of the overbearing Lapithai,
' Apollo.
" I.e. Africa, one of the three known continents.
341
Str. 1
5
6a
Ant.
10
PI NDAR
14a c{`Dxc:ovyvo;]a;
15 cv-co; vno-c H|:ov x\cc::o;cvn-vo;
No;c`o:0coo H:c-
ov\cKjoo'c-:x-cv,
lo|o; 0v,o-. o e-vcve\cvov
0)o-o noo Kv:o: c j:evov0' |-
o-ovno\j:[j:ov;c|\jocvoov;,
ov-cc|nvavto:xovo:j:c0'co:-o;,
20 d\\'dxv-coo|v-co\xo;
oo,:-cj:o:oj::oxco{cvd,|ov;
0o;, co\\ov-cxoiovov
[ovoivc::o:noooono-jo;,
-oveovyxo-ovy\vxvv
novo:cniy\coo;
25 vnvov dvo\|oxooo no:-ono; da.
B ' x|c::\ov-|no-'cvvo-o;
[|j: j:ov:o:no\o|ooo:
-ccyovcxocjyo;`An\\ov.
ov-|xo 'cxj:cyojovXc|ovonoovcnc a:
30 "ocj:vovv-o:,4\\v|o,njo\:nov
0vj:ov,v:oxo; xoij:cyo\o:v:oo:
0ovj:ooo:,oio:d[c :cxo;yc xco\,
19 8L1VOV ViFacGsIYP | OiKOVptaV V{: OiKOVPLWV BF
'
G
l
:
oiKOptaV Moschopulus: FOtKOFopav Schroeder: oiKoapav Wil
amowitz
342
PYTHI AN 9
a hero, second in descent from Okeanos,
1
14a
whom once in the famous glens of Pindos I
Kreousa, the Naid daughter of Gaia,
2
bore
after finding joy in the bed of Peneios.
He raised his fair-armed Ep. 1
child Kyrene. She, however, did not care
for pacing back and forth at the loom
nor for the delights of meals with companions at home,
but with bronze javelins 20
and a sword she would fght and slay the wild
beasts, and truly she provided much peaceful
security for her father's cattle,
while only briefly expending upon her eyelids
that sweet bed-mate,
the sleep that descends upon them toward dawn.
3
25
Apollo, the far-shooting god with the broad quiver, Str. 2
once came upon her as she was wrestling with
a mighty lion, alone and unarmed.
At once he called Cheiron from his halls and said,
"Come forth from your sacred cave, son ofPhilyra, 30
and marvel at this woman's courage and great power
and at what a fight she is waging with unfinching head,
The line of descent is Okeanos-Peneios (the main river in
Thessaly )-H ypseus.
" Earth.
3 I.e. she stayed up all night and only caught a nap before
dawn (ef. Od. 14.528-33, where Eumaios guards his swine at
night). Others infer that she rose before dawn to hunt.
343
PI NDAR
31a 0ovxo0nc0c:cov:;
-oo:oo ['ovxcc|ov-o:vc;.
-|;v:vd:0ona:-xcv,no|-
o;' dnoonoo0cioo v-\o;
jovxcv0a:o; c:ox:ov-ov,
35 ycvc-o:' d\xo; dnc:ov-ov,
oo|ox\v-o:oo:njoocvcyxci:
oxoicx \cov xcio: c\:oo no|o:,
-ovKv-ovjo; (oc:-j; d,o:
\ooo:yc\ooo:;jv:,-:vc:
cv0v;dc|[c-oxjvn-oix\otc; cv-i ooo;
39a Hc:0ov;|co::\o--ov,
40 4oi[c, xoiv-c0coi;-ov-o xd:0ono:;oo;
o:o:-', do:o:c|-
o;-vci:-o -jo-ov cvo; .
xo,o o, -ovov 0c:-o:cvc: 0:yci:,
-oncc|\:o;,o noc:-ov-
-ov\,o:.xovo;' on0cvycvcov
c{cjo- , a:o, xv:ov8, nov-ov-\o;
45 oo0oxoinoo; xc\cv0ov;
ooo-c0o:::ov\\' d:onnc:, oo:
cv0o\ooxoino-ooi;o0o:
xvooo:noi;-' d:a: x\o:ov-o:,
-:\\c:,n0cv
3
8 XAoapov Schroeder: XA<apov Vv: XAapov schol.
344
PYTHI AN 9
a girl whose heart is superior to toil
and whose mind remains unshaken by storms of fear.
What mortal bore her? From what stock
has she been severed
that she lives in the glens of the shadowy mountains
and puts to the test her unbounded valor?
Is it right to lay my famous hand upon her
and indeed to reap the honey-sweet fower from the bed
oflove?"
The high-spirited Centaur smiled warmly
with his gentle brow and at once answered him
with his advice: "Hidden are the keys to sacred
lovemaking that belong to wise Persuasion,
Phoebus, and both gods and humans alike
shy from engaging openly for the first time
in sweet love.
And so your amorous impulse prompted you,
for whom it is not right to touch upon a lie, to make
that misleading speech. Do you ask from where
the girl's lineage comes, 0 lord? And yet you know
the appointed end of all things and all the ways to them,
and how many leaves the earth puts forth in spring,
and how many grains of sand in the sea and rivers
are beaten by the waves and blasts of wind,
and what will happen and whence
345
31a
Ant. 2
35
39a
40
Ep. 2
45
PI NDAR
cooero:, cv xo0o; .
50 c| xoino ooovdvr:c|{o:,
r' cjo -ov-no:;xco[oooo:
-ovc, xoi\\c:; c nv-ov
A:o;c{oovno-i xono:cvcxo:
c:0ov:vdco\:v 0oc:;, cni\oo:dyc|o:;
55 :oo:oro:o0o:c; dj:|ncov
:v:' cvjv\c|j:a:c-v: oo:A:[vo
{cro:cvx\o :vj:o:ej.oo:v cvjvoo:;
56a njjov :o o|0o:o; ooo:
ov-|xo ovv-c\0c:vcvvoj.ov aoc-o:,
ovrcnoyxna:v-ov :-
no:vovov-'d,:a-o0ja:.
-0:noor{cro:,vx\v-o;'Eo;
60 cv0vo:;IIo:o:xoi Io|
dvc\o: |\o; voo-o; ooc:.
roi' cn:,ov:|a: 0ooj:cvo:[jo;ovro;,
:x-o cvc|\coo:xoid[oo|o:
o-{o:o:,0oovro|-v:vd0:o-o:,
Z:o xoi,:o:`An\a:', dvo:o|\o:;
64a ,:o-o:no:oj:\a:,
65 `Ayjo xoi Nj:a:, -o; '`A:o-oo: xo\c:.
6
2
0a7(/EVaL Bergk (Oav/acaa paraphr. ): 07Ka/EvaL
VyYP: OaKa/EVaL B: 07ca/EVaL ( (v.!. ?)
346
PYTRI AN 9
it will come-all this you discern clearly.
But if I must match wits with one who is wise,
I will speak. You have come to this glen to be her
husband, and you are about to take her over the sea
to the finest garden ofZeus,
where you will make her ruler of a city, after gathering
an island people to the hill on the plain.
But as for now, Libya, mistress of broad meadows,
will welcome your famous bride in her golden palace
with gladness, and there at once she will grant her
a portion ofland to hold as her lawful possession,
one neither devoid of plants rich in every fruit,
nor unacquainted with wild animals.
There she will give birth to a son, whom famous Hermes
will take from under his mother and bear
to the fair-throned Horai2 and to Gaia.
And when they behold the infant on their knees,
they shall drip nectar and ambrosia on his lips
and shall make him immortal,
a Zeus or a holy Apollo, a delight to men dear to him
and ever-near guardian of flocks,
called Agreus and Nomios by some, Aristaios by others."3
I. e. the people led by Battos from Thera (cf. Pyth. 4. f).
The Seasons. Kyrene is descended from Gaia (c 16 and
lO2, where she is called Ga).
For Apollo Agreus (as hunter), Apollo Nomios (as shep
herd), and Zeus Aristaios, see Res. fr 215-217, Ap. Rhod.
2.506-507, and Diod. Sic. 4. 8l. 2.
347
50
Str. 3
55
56a
Ant. 3
60
64a
65
PI NDAR
; 'c/~v-vcv-cj-
n:o:,j:ovxo|:c::-c\cv-:.
xcio ' c~c:,ovov 0cov
~o{:;oo|-c[ocio:. xcivo xciv' o-
oj :o|-oocv 0o\e|,cv
cvno\vjvoA:[vo; l:o xo\\|o-ovn\:v
70 dnc: x\c:vv -' d0\o:;.
xo|vvvcvIIv0a:|:od,o0
)
Ko:c:o
v:o;cv0o\ciov:j:c:{c-v
)

v0o v:xoo:; dvo:cKv:o:,

a :ocvjov{c-o:
xo\\:,vvo:x:~-j
)
75 {o: :j.c-o:d,o,:-' d~o c\ov.
dc-o' o/cc,\o:no\vv0o:
[o:o' cvoxjoio:no:x|\\c::
dxoooooi; o exo:o; oo|a;
no:-o;c:xov:. ,vovno-exo`I\oo:
80 ovxdoo:- :ocn-~v\o:
O[o: -v, Evvo0o;c~cxco\:
~o0coo,:ovdxj:, xjvovvc0'1mo ,o:
8la :j\-o`Aj::-va:o;
oj:o, ~o-o~-a v0oo::~oj-ov{:o;
xci-o, \cvx|nno:o:Koj.c|ovj:c-o:xoo:;d,voi;.
79 '"O" Ahrens: 'lWl codd.
Others interpret this to mean: for due proportion is
supreme in everything alike. 2 I. e. Telesikrates was granted
348
PYTHI AN 9
Thus he spoke and encouraged him to consummate
the sweet fulfillment of marriage.
Swift is the accomplishment once gods are in haste, Ep. 3
and short are the ways. That very day
settled the matter. They joined together in love
in the gold-rich chamber of Libya, where she rules her
city,
one most beautiful and famous for prizes in the games. 70
And now in holy Pytho the son of Kameiadas
has joined her to fourishing good fortune,
for by his victory there he made K yrene glorious,
and she will welcome him gladly
to his country of beautiful women,
having brought delightful fame from Delphi. 75
Great achievements are always worthy of many words, Str. 4
but elaboration of a few themes amid lengthy ones
is what wise men like to hear, for deft selection conveys
the essence of the whole just as well.
1
Seven-gated
Thebes
once recognized that Iolaos too did not dishonor him.
2
80
After he cut off Eurystheus' head with the edge
of his sword, they buried Iolaos beneath the earth
in the tomb where his father's father lay, the charioteer 8la
Amphitryon, a guest of the Spartoi after migrating
to the streets of the Kadmeians with the white horses.
3
victory by Iolaos in the Theban Iolaia. 3 Amphitryon, father
of Iphikles and grandfather of Iolaos, was exiled from Tiryns
(where Eurystheus ruled) and welcomed in Thebes by the Spar
toi ("Sown Men"), so-called because they sprang from the
dragon's teeth sown by Kadmos.
349
PI NDAR
rxco| xoiZy:i:,coo o(ov
85 cvj::o:;o:v`A\x:o
:vavxoryo|oo:o0vo; v|a:.
xoo; dvr:;, ;'Hox\corj:oj:~c:[\c:,
j:ye A:xo|a: vrovde -
:oro:, rv:v0Novroxoi`I:x\o
roor\cavcn'cvxoj:ooj:o|r: no0o:
89a co\:. Xo|rovxc\oc::o:
90 j:j:c\|no:xo0oo:,,o;. A|,|:rc,
oj:i N|oov r'cv \ ri;
n\:vr:' cvx\:{o;,
o:,o\o:dj:oo:|o:j,

v,o:
ovcxcv, c||\o;dorov,cr:;dvr-
c:;, r,' cv{v:~c~o:ovovcv
\,ov[\~rov\|oa,jovro; xjv~rro
95 xcvo;o|:c:xoirov c0v
~o:ri 0v ovvrc |xxo\o[ovr'vvc~cv.
~ \coro v:xoovroc xoirc\cro;
o|o:; cvIIo\o;clo:a:o|
0'o;exooro:|\oro:
~o0c::xoino:vJ
100 v|o:cvovr', c Tc\co|xorc;, j:j:cv,
91
ElKAf,U> Hermann (cf. Bacch. 6. 16): ElKAdu, codd.
98 KUUTU' LP'. KaUTu YKaU"Tu, BC: KUUTU L'1'H
'Amphitryon.
Herakles and Iphikles.
350
PYTHI AN 9
Wise Alkmene lay with him
1
and Zeus,
and in a single labor bore
twin sons, 2 mighty and victorious in battle.
Any man is dumb who does not embrace Herakles with
his speech,
and does not continually remember Dirke's waters,
which nourished him and Iphikles.
Ishall celebrate them for the great good I enjoyed
when my wish was fulflled. May the clear light
of the resounding Graces not leave me, for at Aigina
and at the hill of Nisos3 full three times, Iavow,
you glorified this city
by escaping silent helplessness through your effort.
4
Therefore, let no citizen, whether friendly or hostile,
keep hidden a labor nobly borne on behalf of all,
thereby violating the command of the Old Man of the
Sea, 5
who said to praise even one's enemy
wholeheartedly and justly when he performs noble deeds.
When they saw you so often victorious as well
in the seasonal festivals for Pallas,
each of the maidens wished in silence
that you, 0 Telesikrates, were
her dearest husband or her son-
3 A mythical king of Megara.
*Or, reading the MSS's EVKAdu" I declare that I have glOr
fed this city full three times at Aigina and at the hill ofNisos, by
escaping silent helplessness through my efort.
Nereus, proverbial for wisdom and good advice.
351
Ant. 4
85
89a
90
Lp. 4
95
100
L
105
106a
110
114a
115
PI NDAR
c :O\v~:olO:-cxo[o0vx\nov
Io; d0\o:; :rcxocoo:v
c~:o:o:;. cj:e' ov:-:;do:o:
:o: dxc:j:ciov ~oc: o; ov-:;c,co:
xo~o\o:o:o: cov~jo,io:
oo:A:[vooo;d,v:o:xo; [o:
'Iooonjo;~\:v, `Av-o:ovj:cro xo\\:xoov
j::oo-jc;d,ox\oxovo:
-o:\o ~o\\o d:o-c; dva: o-co:
ov,,ovo:, ~o\\o exoc:-
vo:. c~c 0o-oi co;
~\c-ovooorcvovo:H[o;
xonovdi0oo:r'dcoo:
0c\o:. nor c 0v,o- vrcvor
x\c:v-cjoi,j:o:, xovoci Ao:o: ~o-'c: A,c:
olovchjcv-coooxo:-oxox-
nv ~o0io:o:,~jvoo: o, c\c:
axvro-o:,j:o: o-oocv,o co:-ooji
v -j:oo::ov-:x' d,a:o;
ovi' d0\o:;cx\cvocv:ox:o:~oo:,
:-::oooo:r:;a-
ov, ooo:,oj:[o:o::\0o:.
101 v Byz. : V T' vett.
105 7aAa,(v Sagav V: 7aAaudv Sagav v: 7aAa,( Saga E.
Schmid I EWv Moschopulus: TEWV vett.
106 "IpaCa Heyne: 'paCav codd.
113 EA.,v GHPc (e schol. ?): AO.,v VBEFHac
1 16 CXrCO' BH: CXrCft VG: CX.iC' et CxoiC EF
352
PYTHI AN 9
also in the Olympic games
1
and in those for
deep-bosomed Earth, and in all the local
ones. But as Islake my thirst
for songs, someone
2
exacts a debt from me to reawaken
as well the ancient glory of his ancestors, such as they
were when they came for the sake of a Libyan woman
to the city of Irasa, U suitors
for the hand of Antaios' famous fair-haired daughter,
whom so many of her noblest kinsmen
were wooing, and many foreigners as well,
because her beauty
was splendid and they were eager to cull
the blooming fruit of golden-crowned Hebe.
3
But her father, planning a more glOriOUS
marriage for his daughter, had heard how in Argos
Danaos in his day had devised a means to gain
a most speedy marriage for his forty-eight
unwed daughters4 before noon: at once he placed
the whole throng at the finish line of the contest
and gave orders to decide by the trials of a foot race
which daughter each hero would win, of those
who came to betroth them.
The local Olympic games referred to here. as well as those
for Pallas and Earth, were all held in Kyrene.
" Telesikrates.
Youth.
Two of the ffty, Hypermestra and Amymone, already had
husbands (cf Apollod. 2. 1. 5).
353
Str. 5
105
106a
Ant. 5
110
114a
115
PI NDAR
oro' c:ovA:[v;o:xj
:vj::o::o no-i ,oj:j: j:e:ov-o:
o-oocxooj:oo:;, r\o;j:j:c:xo:,
cnc' cvj:ooo:;dn,co0o:, ; :njo-o; 0oa:
120 dj::o:ovoc:cnn \o:;.
v0' `A\c{:oj:o;, cnci v,c \o:yo:jto:,
no0vo: xc:o: ci c:o; c\a:
o,cv|nncv-ovNojto::'j::\o:.
no\\oj:evxcivo::xov
v\\' n: xoio-c:ov;
125 no\\oenjo0cvn-co{orov:xo:.
125 vLKav V ViKW, v(paraphr. )
354
PYTHI AN 9
The Libyan made a similar offer for matching
a groom to his daughter. He adored her
and set her at the finish line as the grand prize
and declared in their midst that whoever frst leapt
forward
and touched her dress would take her away with him.
Then Alexidamos, after excelling in the swift race,
took the cherished maiden hand-in-hand
and led her through the throng of Nomad horsemen.
Many were the leaves
and crowns they showered upon him-
and many the winged wreaths of victories he had won
before.
Ep. 5
120
125
355
PYTHI AN 1 0
If the date of 498 given by the scholia is correct, this is
the earliest epinikion in the collection, and yet it contains
most of the distinctive features of Pindar's style. The only
ode to a Thessalian, it was apparently commissioned by
Thorax the leader of the Aleuadai of Larissa, located
down ;he Peneios River from Pelinna, the victor's city.
The central narrative, framed in ring composition, tells of
Perseus' jourey to the Hyperboreans, whose blessed life
serves as a measure of the success enjoyed by the victor
and his father.
After a grand opening that links Thessaly with Lake
daimon through Herakles, the poet abruptly turs to the
occasion at hand, Hippokleas' Pythian victory in the boys'
diaulos ( 1-9). Although Apollo surely aided him in his vic
tory, he also inherited athletic ability from his father, who
had twice won the race in armor at Olympia and once at
Pytho ( 10-16).
The poet prays that the gods may continue to favor
them both and declares that a man is blessed who is him
self a great victor and lives to see his son win Pythian
crowns ( 17-26). Such a one has reached the limits of
human success, beyond which lies the inaccessible land of
the Hyperboreans (27-30) . Perseus once visited them
while they were delighting Apollo with their sacrifices of
356
PYTHI AN 10
asses (31-36). The Muse resides with them as they enjoy
music, poetry, and feasting, and they never become sck
or grow old (37-44) . The narrative section
.
conclud

s Wth
a brief mention of Perseus' famous explOit of slaYIng the
Gorgon and turing his mother's captors into stone
(44-48).
After marveling at the power of the gods, the poet
suddenly suspends his song's progress and declares that
encomia must vary their subjects (48-54). He hopes that
his songs will make the victor more admired among hs
countrymen, especially the young girls (55-59). It 1t
sweet to gain what one desires in the present, but the
unforeseeable future looms ahead (59-63) . The poet
places his confidence in his friend Thorax, who commis
sioned the ode, and praises his brothers, good men who
maintain the Thessalian state (64-72) .
357
10. I II II OKAEI 8EAAnI
IJAI I I ATAOPOM!H
A' `O\[|o Aoxco|a:,
j:xo:oOcooo\|o. ~o-o; ' do-o:;c cv;
d:o-oov,vo; 'Hox\o; [oo:\cvc.
-|xo~o ~oo xo::, d\\jtc IJv0a
-cxoi-o IJc\:v:oo: d~vc
5 `A\cvo -c~oc; 'Ic~ox\ 0\ov-c;
d,o,c:c~:xojt|o:d:a:x\v-ovo~o.
,cvc-o: ,o d0\a:
o-o- -'d:x-:vovo IIo:ooa;ov-o:jtv;
:ov\ooovv~o-o: ~o|a:d:c~c:.
10 ' A~o\\ov,,\vxv' d:0a~av-\o; d
-co|o:o;jvvv-o; ovc-o:
o v~ov-co;-cco:-ov-' ~ocv,
-ocov,,c:e; c[[oxc:vco:v ~o-;
`O\vjt~a:|xo i; cv~o\cjtoxo:;
"Ajco; ~\o:;
'The victor's city in western Thessaly.
358
10. FOR HI PPOKLEAS OF THES SALY
WI NNER, BOYS' DIAULOS , 498 B. C.
Fortunate is Lakedaimon,
blessed is Thessaly. Over both rule the descendants
of one father, Herakles, greatest in battle.
Why am I vaunting inappropriately? Rather, Pytho
and Pelinna 'are calling upon me,
and Aleuas' sons, 2 who are eager to bring to Hippokleas
men's glorious voices in revelry,
for he competes in the games,
and the valley of Pamassos proclaimed him to the host
of neighboring people the best of the boys who ran the
diaulos.
Apollo, sweet waxes the end and the beginning
for men when a god is prompting.
He achieved this, I believe, through your designs,
but by inherited ability he has trod in the footsteps of his
father,
twice an OlympiC victor in Ares' armor
that bears the shock of war;
The Aleuadai were a powerful Thessalian family, of whom
Thorax (64) was head.
359
Str. 1
5
Ant. 1
10
Ep. 1
PI NDAR
15 c0xcxoi[o0v\c|:ovv~oK|jo;nc-ov
d,a: xjo-o|noo1:x|o:.
cno:-ooijoxoivo-jo:o:v
cvoo:; d,:oon\ov-ovdv0ci:o|oo
B ' -ov' cv'E\:-cnvov
20 \ov-c; ovx \|,o: oo, j.g 0ovcjoi;cx 0cov
j.c-o-on|o; cn:xvoo:cv. 0co;ci
d~:ov xo. cvo|j.ov xoivj.v-
-o; ov-o;d:,|:c-o:oooi;,
;:coiv{noovdc- xo-yoo:;
1 j:,:o-'d0\o:c\ -\j: -cxoio0vc:,
25 xoi ao: En vcojv
xo-' ooo: v:ov -vv-oo-c:o:IIv0|o:.
o \xco;ovo:o;ovno-' dj:[o-o;ov-
ooo:;[jo-ov c0:o; d,\oto:; o-
n-:co0o, ncjo|vc:nc;coo-o:
n\ov vovoi'ov-c nco; /ev<xcv> co:;
30 c;'Tnc[ojovd,a:o 0ovoo-o: o:.
no' ol;no-cIJcocv;co|oo-o \o,-o;,
ej:o-' coc\0ev,
x\c:-o; vovcxo-j:[o;cn:-ooo:; 0c
1
5-
1
6 /afvAEifWV to Kippa< 7E7piv | aywv Christ Har
tungio praeeunte: /afvAEifwva aywv to Kippa, 77paV
codd. 26 ,8n Callierges: ,80t codd. 27 aImp Triclinius C
scho!.: auTO', vett. 29 <KEV> suppI. Hermann
360
PYTHI AN 10
the contest i n the deep meadow beneath Kirrha's cliffs
1
also made Phrikias2 a victorious runner.
May destiny attend them as well in coming
days to make lordly wealth blossom for them.
And having been granted no small share of delightful
successes in Hellas, may they encounter from the gods
no envious reversals. May the god
not be pained in heart.
3
But blessed and a worthy subject
for song in wise men's eyes is that man,
who conquers with his hands or the excellence of his feet
and wins the greatest of prizes4 with courage and
strength,
and while still living sees his young son
duly win Pythian crowns.
The bronze heaven is never his to scale,
but as for all the glories which our mortal race
attains, he completes the furthest voyage.
And traveling neither by ships nor on foot could you find
the marvelous way to the assembly of the Hyperboreans.
With them Perseus, the leader of people, once feasted,
upon entering their halls,
when he came upon them sacrificing gloriOUS hecatombs
At Pytho.
The name of Hippokleas' father, or, some think, that of his
horse, indicating that he won the horse race at Delphi.
3 I.e. may no god take offense. Many interpret this to mean
"only a god may be free from pain at heart."
I. e. an OlympiC victory.
361
15
Str. 2
20
Ant. 2
26
30
Ep. 2
P I NDAR
o:;:0o\|o:; cj:ncov
35 c(oj:|o:;-cj:\:o-' `An\\a:
o|jc:,,c\ 0' oa:[j:v0|o:x:a\a:.
I Mooo' ovxdnooc
-no:; cni oc-jo:o: no:- eojoino0vo:
\vo:-c[ooixo:oo|-'ov\a:o:o:-o:
40 :-cjvoxo; dvooov-
-c; c/\on::o:o:vcv:a;.
voo:'ov-c,o;ov\cvovxxo-o:
|cj ,cvc nvovexoioo:-c
o/xo:o:v,v-c;
r:xovNco:v. 0ooc|

envov xo|
45 \cv ^o:o; no-eno;, o,c-o'`A0:o,
c;dva:j:oxa::\o: cncvv
-cIo,:o, xoino:x|\o:xo
ox:-a: [o:o:vj\v0c voo:e-o:;
\|0:vov0:o-ov ov. coi e 0ovj:ooo:
0cov -c\coov-ov ov: no-c o|:c-o:
50 ccvn:o-o:.
xenovoooov, -ov ',xvo:cjc:oov0ov|
no0c, o:o;\xon-o;.
c,xo|a:,oo-o;:a:
' Apollo traditionally spent three winter months with the
Hyperboreans. It is uncertain what amuses him here: the asses'
362
PYTHI AN 10
of asses to the god. In their banquets
and praises Apollo ever finds greatest delight
and laughs to see the beasts' braying insolence. l
And the M use is no stranger
to their ways, for everywhere choruses of maidens,
sounds oflyres, and pipes' shrill notes are stirring.
With golden laurel they crown their hair
and feast joyfully.
N either sickness nor accursed old age mingles
with that holy race, but without toils or battles
they dwell there, haVing escaped
strictly judging Nemesis.
2
Breathing courage in his heart,
the son of Danae once came-Athena led him-
to that throng of blessed men. He slew
the Gorgon, and, bearing her head adorned
with locks of serpents, came to the islanders, 3
bringing them stony death. But to me, no marvel,
if the gods bring it about, ever seems
beyond belief.
Hold the oar, quickly plant the anchor in the earth
from the prow as a safeguard against the jagged reef,
for the finest of victory hymns
leapings (schol. ), their high-pitched braying (schol. ), or their
erect phalluses (most modem scholars).
Nemesis seems to represent retributive justice for wrong
dOing, which the Hyperboreans have avoided by their upright
conduct, thus living extremely long lives.
3 Of Seriphos, where Danae was held captive (cf. Pyth.
12. 11-15).
363
35
Str. 3
40
Ant. 3
45
Ep. 3
50
A
56
60
65
70
PI NDAR
cn' \\o' \\o:o-c \:ooo 0vvc:\,o:.
c\noo:' `Evo|a:
on' diHvc:ov,\v-io:njocv-ovc:
-ov'Invox\ov xoio\\o:ovvdo:oi;
exoo-c:a:0o-ovcv\:-
:0ocvcvxoino\o:-jo:;
vo:o|:-cvo0vo:o:\o. xoi,
c-jo:; c-jovjo-c; xv:o:vo;
-ov' exoo-o; ovc:,
-vevxcvvo\ovo0o:o:-|o-ovno
no;
-o 'c|;cv:ov-ovd-xo-ovvovooo:.
nno:0ocv|njooov:Ooo-
xo; oncjcovno:nvvov::
-'ccvo H:c|a:-c-oo:,
:\ov :\ov-', ,a:,o:-ovjo:a;.
nc:ovexoijvoo;cv[oo:njnc:
xoi :o; 0;.
dc\coio|-'cno:ioocvco\oi; o
hov o: :ovOcooo\a:
ovov-c; cv' d,o0oio: xci-o:
no-ja:o: xc:oi no\|a:xv[cvo:c;.
60 PWTE' KvLtav Mair: Pw, KVLtE VV
69 d8E)W''L T' . - . E<Ao', Wilamowitz: d8EA<EOV, T' .
E<Aov, codd. 71 KE'ml CaH(schol. ): KE'vml reil.
364
PYTHI AN 10
flit like a bee from one theme t o another.
I hope, when the Ephyraians
1
pour forth my sweet voice beside the Peneios,
that with my songs I may make Hippokleas
even more splendid for his crowns
in the eyes of his comrades and his elders,
and the darling of unmarried girls. Indeed, desires
for various things stir the minds of various men,
and each one who wins what he strives for
may gain the coveted object of his immediate concern,
but there is no sure sign to foresee what a year may bring.
I put my trust in the comforting hospitality
of Thorax, who in his zeal to favor me
yoked this four-horse chariot of the Pierians,
as friend to friend and willing guide to guide.
When one tests it, gold shines forth on a touchstone
as does an upright mind.
We shall praise as well his noble brothers2
because they uphold and exalt the state
of the Thessalians; with good men rests
the governance of cities as a cherished inheritance.
'The city of Krannon (near Pelinna) was formerly called
Ephyra (schol. ).
Eurypylos and Thrasydaios (cf. Hdt. 9.58).
365
Str. 4
56
60
Ant. 4
65
Ep. 4
70
PYTHI AN 1 1
The centerpiece of this poem, sometimes called a
"little Oresteia," is the story of Klytaimestra's murder of
Agamemnon. It is narrated in ring composition and pro
vides a striking contrast to the public-spirited success of
the victor and his family, who strive for achievements in
the tradition of the Theban hero Iolaos and the Tyn
daridai. The poet's elaborate disclaimer in 38-42, in
which he asks if he has strayed from his course, is meant
to call attention to the discrepancy between the myth and
the career of Thrasydaios and his father. The scholia give
conflicting dates and events for the victory: 474 in the
boys' stadion and 454 in the men's diaulos (or stadion);
the former is more likely.
The major heroines of Thebes are summoned to
Apollo's Ismenian temple to celebrate Pytho, where
Thrasydaios has won a third victory for Thebes ( 1-16) .
The poet glides quickly into the story of Orestes, who was
rescued by his nurse Arsinoa from Klytaimestra's deSigns
on his life afer she had killed Kassandra and Agamemnon
( 17-22). He ponders whether she was angered because of
the sacrifice of Iphigeneia, or because of her adulterous
love affair, a sin that becomes town gossip when it con
cers the wealthy (22-30) . Without giving an answer, he
closes the ring by briefly relating the deaths of Agamem-
366
PYTHI AN 1 1
non and Kassandra after Troy's destruction, the escape of
Orestes to Strophios, and his eventual return to slay his
mother and Aigisthos (31-37).
The poet asks if he has taken a wrong tur or gotten
off course (38-40) and reminds his Muse that she is under
contract to praise Pythonikos and his son Thrasydaios,
both of whom won the foot race at Pytho (41-50) . He
states his preference for god-given success and for a
moderate position in a city (as opposed to the tyrant's sta
tion), and praises accomplishments that promote the
common good because they keep envy at bay (50-54) .
The best possession to bequeath at death i s a good name,
which is what Iolaos, Kastor, and Polydeukes (all three
athletes and patrons of games) enjoy in song (55-64) .
367
11. 8PATAI !I 8HBAI !I
II AI A T AAI EI
A' Kj:ov xo, cj:\o j:ev `O\vj:n:o:d,v:a,
`I:aeAcvxo0o
~o:o:oj:o0\oj:c Nyyto:,
-c ovv 'Hox\o; do-o,v
j:o-i~o Mc\|o: jvoov c;v-ov-j~ov
5 0yoov:, v~c|o\\'|j:oocAo|o;,
`Ioj:v:ov' vvj:ocv,d\o0oj:ov-|ov 0oxov,
a~o:c; 'Aj:o:|o;,
e:0o xo|:v: c~|:oj:o:jo:ov
o-o-ov oj:o,coxo\covv|j:cv,
oo Oj:v |covIIv0a:-c xoi0o|xo:
10 ,o;j:o\ovxc\ooc'xjovvco~j
)
1 o:yvLan Christ: ayvLa7, codd.
6 JLavTLwv Hermann: fUVTELwv V! fLUVTELOV V
8 0fLaYEpEa Mommsen: Of"YEpEa BEF: Of"yvpEa y:
OfvYEpEa V
10 KEAa8(ET' Heyne (VfLV("TE paraphr. ) : KEAa8YTE codd.
368
11. FOR THRASYDAI OS OF THEBES
WI NNER, BOYS' STADI ON
Daughters of Kadmos, you, Semele, neighbor
of the Olympian goddesses, and you, Ino Leukothea,
1
who share the chambers of the N ereid sea nymphs,
go with the most nobly born mother2 of Herakles
and join Melia
3
at the treasury of the golden tripods,
the sanctuary which Loxias
4
especially honored
Str. 1
5
and named the Ismenion,
5
the true seat of seers. Ant.
Ldaughters of Harmonia,
6
there he now summons
the local host of heroines to gather together,
so that you may celebrate holy Themis,
7
Pytho,
and the just-judging center of the earth at nightfall 10
1 For Semele and Ino, see C/. 2.25-30 and Appendix, geneal-
ogy of the Daughters of Kadmos. " Alkmene.
Mother by Apollo of Teneros and Ismenos (cf. Paus. 9. 10).
4 Cult name of Apollo in his prophetic guise.
The temple of Apollo, named for his son Ismenos, famous
for rendering oracles.
Harmonia, Kadmos' wife, bore Semele and Ino.
` Themis occupied the Delphic oracle before Apollo (cf.
Aesch. Eum. 2-). Iflowercase, it means "ordinance."
369
PI NDAR
c~-onv\ooO[o:;
od,a:|-cK|o;,
cv-Ooovo; j:voocvco-|o:
-|-ovno-o:o:no-o:[o\a:,
15 cvdvcoi; dovo:o:IIv\o
v:xovvovAxo:o;`Oo-o.
B ' -ov o:cvoj:vovno-jo;`Aooo K\v:-
j:o-jo;
cjovvno xo-co:
cx \ov -oo; vc\c voncv0o;,
on-c Aoo:|o xjovII:oj.ov
20 Kooo:ovno\:o\xovv' A ,oj:cj::o:|
v ncv' `Ajov-o; dx-ovno' cvoxav
v\; ,v:. n-cjv v:v' `I:,:c' cn' Ev|n
oo0cioo-\c~o-jo;
xv:ocv[ovn\oj:ovooo:\o:,
c-j\c:oj:oovov
25 vvvo:nojo,ov xoi-o:, -o evo:; d\o:;
0:o-ovdj:n\xa:xo\voo:-'dj:o:o:
d\\o-|o:o:,\eooo:;
xoxo\,o:eno\i-o:
oc:-c,o o\[o; ov j:c|ovo0:ov
30 o eoj:\onvovo:-o:[j:c:
21
7OpW' VEPcF: 70PEV<( H') BEacy
370
PYTHI AN 1 1
in honor of seven-gated Thebes Ep. 1
and the contest at Kirrha,
in which Thrasydaios made famous the hearth
of his fathers when he cast a third wreath upon it1
as a victor in the rich fields of Pylades, 15
the host of Laconian Orestes,
2
who, indeed, at the slaughter of his father,
3
was rescued Str. 2
by his nurse Arsinoa out from under the powerful hands
of Klytaimestra and away from her grievous treachery,
when with the gray bronze she dispatched Kassandra,
Dardanian Priam's daughter, along with Agamemnon's 20
soul, to the shadowy shore of Acheron-
that pitiless woman. Was it then the sacrifcial slaying Ant. 2
of Iphigeneia at Euripos4 far from her homeland that
provoked her to rouse up her heavy-handed anger?
Or did nighttme lovemaking lead her astray
by enthralling her to another's bed? That sin5 25
is most hateful in young wives and impossible to conceal
because of others' tongues, Ep. 2
for townsmen are scandalmongers.
Then, too, prosperity sustains a matching envy,
whereas the din of a man onow ambition goes unnoticed. 30
' Presumably the third Pythian victory of his family (cf.
43-50). 2 Pindar, like Stesichoros, places Agamemnon's
palace at Amyklai in Lconia (cf. Paus. 3. 19. 6); Homer located it
in Mycenae, Aeschylus in Argos. 3 Agamemnon.
*The strait between Attika and Euboia, where the Greek
fleet assembled. Adultery.
371
P I NDAR
0vcvj:ev ov-o;o;`A-uo;
xovjvx\v-oi;cv`Aj:vx\o:;,
I j:::-' o\eocxo:, cccd'E\:nvjo-
0v-ov
Too:c\vocj.ov;
[-o-o;. o ' o,o:ro{:ov
35 2-o|o: c{|xc-o, :o xco\,
Ho:oooovno :o|o:-' d\\oo:| ovv

Ajc:
nvcv-cj.o-o 0x-'Ai,:o0o:cvo:oi;.
', a |\o:, xo-' dj:cvo|nojov -|oo:c::0:,
0o:x\cv0o:/ov
-on|v jj.;vcj:o;c{o ~\ov
40 c[o\c:, o;-' xo-o: c::o\|o:,
Moioo, -oe:, c|j::o0oioovv0cvnoc:v
o:o:v,vo:, \\o-' \rooooj:cv
no- Hv0o:|x
- ,:v: Ooo,
45 -ovcvoov:o-c xo cn:\,c:.
-oj.ev<cv>j:oo: xo\\|::xo: n\o:
`O\vj:n|-' d,o:o:no\v-o:
coov 0oo:dx-i:oovvnno:;,
33
1vpwOfvm' Snell
38
afw(L1OpOV' TPLOOOV' Hermann
41
fL(OOtO Christ (ef. paraphr. ) : fL(00 eodd.
372
PYTHI AN 1 1
Atreus' heroic son himself died
when at last he came to famous Amyklai,
and he brought death on the prophetic maiden, after he Str. 3
despoiled of their luxury the homes of the Trojans, who
were visited by fire for the sake of Helen. The young
boy, though, went to his aged friend Strophios, 2 who lived 35
at the foot ofPamassos. But, with Ares' eventual help,
he slew his mother and laid Aigisthos in gore.
Can it be, 0 my friends, that I got confused where the Ant.
way forked,
when before I was going on the straight road?
Or did some wind throw me
off course, like a small boat at sea? 40
Muse, it is your duty, since you have contracted to hire
your voice for silver, to keep it moving this way and that,
either now to his father, Pythonikos,
3
Ep. `
or to Thrasydaios,
for their celebration and glory are ablaze. 45
Not only were they victorious of old with chariots
and in the famous contests at Olympia
captured swift brilliance with their horses,
` Kassandra. 2 Pylades' father, king of Phokis.
Some take IvOoviKc as an epithet: a Pythian victor.
42
mpa((ffEV E. Sehmid (Xp- non leg. sehol. ): Xp-
Tapa((ffEV eodd.
43
IvOoviKc Triclinius: 1VOWViKW( L) vett.
4
6
<<v> suppl. Triclinius
373
PI NDAR
6' I1v0o:-c,v:ovc~i o-oavxo-o[:-c;\c,o:
50 'E\\o:|o o-oo:
axv-o. 0c0cv co|o: xo\a:,
v:o-ooc:o;cv\x|.
-ov,od:o~o\:cv|oxov -ooooxo-
o\[ -c0o\-o, o' oloo:-vo::|o:
v:oio' d' dc-o; --oo 0ovcjoi ' dv-
vov-o.
55 d\'cl;xo:c\a:
ov-c vccvo;o|:o:[:
d~v,cv, \o:o; o:cooo:
xo\\|o:o 0o:-ov<+-c|o>,\vxv--,c:c
cvevvov x-c:o:xo-|o-o:o~oev
-c-ov`Ix\c|o:
60 :ojc`Io\oo:
vvy-ovc:-o, xoiKo-oo;[|o:,
o -c, :oIIo\vcvxc;, v|oi0ce:,
-o ev~o'oeooOc~:o;,
-o 'o|xov-o;cvov`O\v~ov.
53 oAf' Triclinius: (vv oAf' vett.
5
4
a/Lvvovra, f1: a/Lvvovr' reIl.
55 aAA' El Tt, Boeckh: ara. EL Tt, codd.: arq ri, . . .
a7EqVYEV; H6man I T('vxi Mommsen Hermanno praeeunte:
T('vXia(,) codd.
56 /LEAavo, iv E. Schmid: /LEAavo, 8' iv codd.
57 8avarov B: 8avarov rei!. (sed 8avarov g!. adscr. 56 E) I
<(rEixo,> supp!. Wilamowitz: EV Vv
374
PYTHI AN 1 1
but also when they entered the naked foot race at Pytho
they put to shame the Hellenic host with their speed.
May I desire blessings from the gods,
as I seek what is possible at my age, for within a city I find
the middle estate flourishing with more enduring
prosperity, and I censure the condition of tyrannies.
I strive for achievements others share in; for envious men
are warded off.
But if a man has won the peak
and dwelling there in peace has avoided dire
insolence, he would go to a more noble boume
of black death, having given his sweetest offspring
the best of possessions, the grace of a good name.
That is what makes known Iolaos,
Iphikles' son,
as a subject of hymns, and mighty Kastor,
and you, lord Polydeukes, sons of the gods,
you who spend one day in your homes at Therapna,
and on the next dwell in Olympos.
Lines 54-57 contain one of the most corrupt passages in the
odes. The reading of Schroeder and Turyn of 54-56 is: c80VEPOL
8' a/Lvvovra, ' arq ri, aKpov EAwv ' T(vxi rE VE/LO/LEVO,
aivcv vfptv ' a7EcvYEV' "Envious ones fght back in their delu
sion. Who, haVing won the peak and dwelling there in peace
avoids (their) dread insolence?"
375
Str. 4
50
Ant. 4
55
Ep. 4
60
PYTHI AN 1 2
From the time of its founding, the Pythian festival
included musical contests. In 490 Midas of Akragas won
h

co
,

petition or the aulos, which I have translated by

pIpe, but was M fact more like a modem clarinet or
oboe and consisted of a bronze mouthpiece and reed
body. Traditionally the invention of Athena, it was known
for its expressive range (cf. ~o:o:at 19 and al. 7. 12)
and especially for the "many headed tune," whose inven
tion Pindar also attributes to Athena.
The story of Danae, merely sketched by Pindar in ring
composition, is as follows. King Akrisios of Argos, fearing
that the child bor to his daughter Danae would supplant
him, locked her up in a tower. Zeus came to her in a
shower of gold and sired Perseus. When the king learned
of it, he shut the mother and her baby in a chest and put
them out to sea. They came ashore on the island of
Seriphos, where King Polydektes kept them for many
years, making Danae his mistress. When he invited the
leaders of Seriphos to come to a feast and bring him gifts,
the young Perseus went off to acquire the head of the
Gorgon Medusa as his present. By stealing the one eye
belonging to the Graiai, Phorkos' daughters, he forced
them to reveal the location of their three sisters, the Gor
gons. With the help of Athena, Perseus cut off Medusa's
376
PYTHI AN 1 2
head, brought it to the banquet, and tured his enemies
to stone.
The poem opens with an invocation of Akragas (as
nymph and city) to accept this celebration of Midas for
his victorious pipe playing at Pytho ( 1-). Athena
invented the art of pipe playing when she reproduced in
music the Gorgons' dirge for their sister, Medusa, after
Perseus carried of her head, with which he tured the
people of Seriphos to stone (6-12). He blinded the Grai
ai and punished Polydektes for his enslavement of Danae
( 13-18), after which Athena composed the "many-headed
tune" in imitation of Euryale's lament for her sister, and
gave it to mortals (18-23). It still serves to summon peo
ple to the games and to lead dances (24-27).
The ode closes with a series of gnomes stressing the
hard work necessary for success and the unpredictability
of divine gifts (28-32) .
377
12. MI AI AKPAr ANTI N!I
ATAHTHI
A' A|-ooc, :\,\oc, xo\\|o-o[o-co:~o\|o:,
1coc:o;eo; o -' 0o:;cn y\o[-ov
:o|c:;`Ax,o:-o;cvo-o:xo\a:o:, C :o,
l\oo; 0o:-o:a:a:-covvcvcv|
5 o:o-cvoo -' cxHv0a:o;cv M|
ov-:-v:v'E\\ov:xoo:-o-v -:~o-c
Ho\\a;ccvjc 0ooc:o:<Io,:o:>
ov\:o: 0:o::o~\o:o'`A0:o
B' -ov~o0c:|o:;v-' ~\-o:;|o:xco\o;
10 :c\c:[cvovvo~cv0:ovv xo-q,
Hcocv; o~-c-|-ovvocv xoo:,vy-o:jo;
c::o\|c| \ooo|-coo:,o:.
-o:--c0co~o:ov1jxo:'ovoocv,vo;
5 E'oov Iioa EF(schol.)
7 <ropyovwv> suppl. Triclinius e schol.
1 1 aV((v) codd.: aVV(V "YP: avv(v Boeckh
` Akragas, both the city and its eponymous nymph.
2 Of song (schol. ) or the song as well as the wreath (Gilder
sleeve) .
378
12. FOR MI DAS OF AKRAGAS
WI NNER, PI PE PLAYI NG, 490 B. C.
I beseech you, lover of splendor, loveliest of mortals' Str. 1
cities,
1
abode of Per se phone, you who dwell upon the well-built
height
above the banks of the Akragas, where sheep graze, 0
queen,
along with the good will of gods and men graciously
receive this crown
2
from Pytho offered by famous Midas 5
and welcome the man himself, who defeated Hellas in the
art
which Pallas Athena once invented
by weaving into music the fierce Gorgons' deathly dirge
that she heard pouring forth from under the Str. 2
unapproachable
snaky heads of the maidens in their grievous toil, 10
when Perseus cried out in triumph as he carried the third
of the sisters,
bringing doom to wave-washed Seriphos and its people.
Yes, he blinded the awesome race ofPhorkos3
3 The three Graiai, daughters of Phorkos as were the Gor
gons, had only one eye among them, which Perseus took, refus
ing to return it until they told him how to fnd their sisters.
379
PI NDAR
\v,:- ' jovovHo\vx- 0xco-j;- ' -
nco:
15 ov\oovvov--'dvo,xoiov\o;,
cvoovxo-oov\oo:; Mco|oo;
r' v|o; Ao:o;, -ovdno jvoov oj:e: ov-ojv-ov
j:j:cvo:. d\' cnccx-ov-ov |\o: :o nvov
cjjvoo-o no0vo; ov\a:-cvcnj:a:o:j:\o;,
20 oo -ov Evv\o;cxxono\:j:o:,cvvov
j:j:0v-oovvv-co:j::j:oo:-'cj:x\,x-ov
,o:.
chjcv 0c; d\ :ocvjoio'dvo: 0vo-oi;c:v,
vvj:oocvxco\o: no\\o:vj:ov,
cvx\co \ooooovj:voo-' d,a:o:,
l \cn-ov mv:oj:evovo\xov 0oj:o xoovxov,
26 -onooxo\\|oo:vo|o:o:n\:vXo|-ov
Ko:o|o; cv-cvc:, n:o-oojcv-j:j-vjc;.
c|-:;o\[o;cvd:0eno:oo, :cv xoj:-ov
ov o|:c-o: cx e-c\cv-oc: :o -o: ocjov
30 o|ov--o e j:jo:ov ov novx-:-d\'o-o:
:o;
oh-o;, 0 xo:-:v'dc\n-:[o\a:
j:no\o,vej:o;ro j:eveoc:,-o ' ovno.
25
Ba/a v (EVWt Ba/a r42): B' a/a vr42
26 KaAAtXOpov r42: KaAAtXop'' v: KaAAtxwpw V I 1OA< V
3
0 'O oc Triclinius: 'O yE vett. I ov 1apqvK'OV V (yp[ o-
qE'( at) 1 K( at) ov 1TapqvK'OV r42): ov 1a qVK'OV vr42
. .
31
aEA1'tq edd.: aEA1T'ta V{: aEA1ta B: aEA1Etq Mommsen
380
PYTHI AN 12
and he made painful for Polydektes his feast, the
enforced
bondage of his mother, and her bed of compulsion,
after severing the head ofbeautiful-cheeked Medusa-
the son of Danae, who, we tell, was born of free-flowing
gold. But when she 1 had rescued her beloved hero from
those toils, the maiden composed a melody with every
sound for pipes,
so that she might imitate with instruments the echoing
wail
that was forced from the gnashing jaws of Euryale.
The goddess invented it, but invented it for mortals
to have, and she called it the tune of many heads,
famous reminder of contests where people flock,
the tune that often passes through the thin bronze and
the reeds
which grow by the Graces' city2 of beautiful dancing
places
in the precinct of Kephisos' daughter,
3
faithful witnesses
of dancers.
If there is any happiness among men, it does not appear
without toil. A god will bring it to fulfillment either
today-
what is fated cannot be avoided-but there will come
that time which, striking a person with surprise,
will unexpectedly give one thing, but defer another.
'Athena. 2 Orchomenos (ef C/. 14. 1-).
3 The nymph Kopa:s.
381
15
Str. 3
20
Str. 4
26
30
Antigone
APPENDIX
GENEALOGl ES
The line of Laios (01. 2)
lokasta
T
Laios
lsmene
Oedipus

lokasta Adrastos
I
I
Eteokles Polyneikes
T
Argeia
Thersandros
The Daughters of Kadmos (01. 2, Pyth. 3, 11)

Kadmos
T
Harmonia
|
lno Agaue

Pentheus
Autonoe

Aktaion
Semele (Thyone)
T
Zeus
Dionysos
383
APPENDIX
Tlapolemos (Ol. 7)
|
Likymnios (by Midea) Alkmene

Zeus
Herakles Amyntor

Tlapolemos -Astydameia
Aiakos and the Aiakidai (01. 8, Nem. 3, etc. )
Zeus
T
Aigina
Endas Aiakos Psamatheia
| '
Telamon Peleus phokos

Aias Achilles

Panopeus

Neoptolemos Epeios
384
APP ENDIX
Deukalion and Pyrrha (al. 9)
Iap1etos

Prometheus
Epimetheus

Deukalion
I
Pyrrha
Protogeneia
Aiolos and the Aiolidai (pyth. 4)
Aiolos
T
Enarea
I salioneus
Kretheus -- --Tyro Poseidon
- -I

I
Alson Pheres Amythaon Pelias Neleus
|
Athamas

Phrixos

Jason Admetos Melampos Periklymenos

385